DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Declaration of independence include the notion that all men are created equal and that
everyone has equal right. To have right to life, to have right to liberty and to have right to
property, are some of the important rights of colonists and of individual. The declaration of
independence says that the purpose of government is to protect these rights and values.
Declaration of independence is all about historical events that took place in 1770s. When
America was the colony under British rule. Here is a quick background of declaration, it all
started when Jefferson came to Philadelphia and experienced all the injustice happening around
at that time. So, in order to be separated Jefferson proposed a declaration of independence to get
rid of colonizer’s rule.
As mentioned above that colonized or you can say an individual has right to enjoy
different rights that he had and rights that are universally acknowledged. But these rights were
not be enjoyed by the people of that society about which we are talking over here.
For more than a year, the Americans had sent petitions to England proclaiming their
grievances against the British government. Colonists even appealed to the British people,
pleading with them to elect different members of Parliament who would be more open to
compromise. But the "British brethren" refused to do this. Jefferson's Declaration of the Causes
and Necessity for Taking Up Arms stopped short of declaring independence, but pointed out the
folly of governing the American colonies from England.
But George did not put an ear on that rather he issued a proclamation charging that the
Americans
"had proceeded to open and avowed rebellion."
A few months later, Parliament passed a significant act that placed the American colonies
outside the king's protection. This act allowed the seizing of American ships, justified the
burning of colonial towns, and led to sending war ships and troops, including foreign
mercenaries, to put down the rebellion. Meanwhile, the royal governor of Virginia offered
freedom to slaves who joined the British cause. These actions by the British king and
government inflamed Americans who were undecided about independence and made war with
England all but certain.
On June 8, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to write a declaration of independence
and quickly appointed a committee to draft a formal document. But the job of actually writing
the draft fell to Thomas Jefferson, mainly because John Adams and other committee members
were busy trying manage the rapidly escalating war with England.
Jefferson listed 20 instances when the King violated the rights of the American colonists.
Among them here we are going to talk on three really important rights of individual which were
violated by the King. So, let’s start.
 It is mandatory to impose all the laws in a society which are in benefit of citizens but at
that time, King refused his assents to laws, which is the most wholesome and necessary for the
public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing
importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so
suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
Secondly, it is the legal right of every citizen to get justice. Judiciary system in a country
should be so much strong that citizens should have firm believer that they will get justice and
there will be no discrimination, but again, King has obstructed the administration of Justice by
refusing his assent to laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He made judges dependent on his
will alone, which means that King has more authority to take any decision than Judiciary, which
is really an alarming situation that you have no hope for justice.
Lastly, the King had abdicated Government, by declaring colonized, out of his protection
and waging war against them. Again, this is an alarming situation that you have not security
while remaining in your own space. It is the general right of every individual not only colonized
that government should protect them like their own people.
So, among all other violations of rules given by Jefferson, these three were the most-
worst violations. Therefore, Americans decided to start war against Britain rule then they were
justified in their stance. How can people live in such a place, where they have no laws for their
life, when they have no hope to get justice, when they have no hope to be protected in country.
That’s why they were right on their point that freedom is the only way to live happily.
By keeping an eye on all these events mentioned above and all others mentioned in
“declaration”, one can say that Jefferson was justified in blaming the monarch for the problems
leading to declaration. Because monarchy was under the King and he was imposing laws of his
own choice.
In the end let’s have a look on the famous phrase of declaration of independence, which
says that “all men are created equal”. Jefferson said that this statement is self-evident. Let’s
analyze it.
It is interesting, the phrase is “self-evident". This is something that comes from the
rationality of the scientific era we were in. This is an age right after Isaac Newton has made
everything in the universe rational through scientific laws and it also comes from some of the
philosophers, especially David Hume, that there are just certain things that are self-evident.
That's an important concept, that they're not appealing to anybody else to say, "What are
these truths?" They're saying, this is just our rationality that tells us "this is true," but then they
say, "all men are created equal." Now, they say men. Back then, men were supposed to be a
phrase that was more inclusive than just males. It's like mankind, to some extent, but then again,
at least Jefferson, he owned slaves. Women, they weren't necessarily given the right to vote.
Even though they mean "man" sort of like mankind, they also generally mean men, at this point.
Once again, this is where the American narrative starts. Fortunately, that phrase gets
expanded over time as to what they mean. Look at the phrase "created equal". What does that
really mean? First of all, it doesn't mean that people are always equal. At a certain point in life,
Jefferson owns a whole lot of property and Franklin is quite rich as a printer and different people
have different statuses in life, but they're saying that in a fundamental, political way, we all start
off created equal. We have certain rights that you just can't take away from us whether we're rich
or poor or whatever. Those unalienable rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
With this discussion, we can conclude that the statement “all men are created equal” is
somewhat controversial. Although it tempts all of us, but internally we know that whether all
men should have equal rights, but it cannot be happened. Because if all men were equal then
there are many works which no one want to do himself. Only slaves and people related to that
field do that and we appoint them for this. Everyone can’t be equal. Moreover, Jefferson was
against slavery while ironically, he had some servants for him. So, in this way it is to say that,
although there should be equal rights but that phrase is somewhat controversial.