The overall purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to state why the

British colonies are severing their ties and seeking out independence from Great
Britain. Their reasoning for seeking out their independence is because they find the
King of Great Britain guilty of numerous mistreatments of the colonies that
infringe upon their natural rights. Jefferson uses negative language such as
“abuses,” “usurpations,” and “absolute despotism” in order to characterize
Britain’s rule over the colonies. They hold their natural rights to great standards as
the document states, “...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.” This statement is uses repetition in its meaning; it uses the
overall premise of everyone has natural rights in different phrases. Jefferson also
conveys the notion that the government should be responsible for the civil rights of
its citizens. The statement, “...deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed, --That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it,” shows that Jefferson
believes a main priority of the government should be the needs of the people. Since
the the government failed to protect the rights of its citizens, the people of the
colonies found it necessary to overthrow the government and seek out their own
independence.