Download Governments are created to secure certain unalienable rights, rights

Governments are created to secure certain unalienable rights, rights that are
granted, not by government or man, but by God himself. This is called an appeal
to Natural Law. It is apparent the founding fathers felt that God should play an
important part in the government of man; they do not, however, go into detail on
the nature of that God. This, as repeated nearly a decade later in the Bill of
Rights, is up to the individual and a right which, also, cannot be taken away by
government.
When government takes away these rights, the governed have just cause to
overthrow or separate themselves from that government.
Great Britain is guilty of attempting to take away the aforementioned God given
rights; therefore, the colonists are justified in separating themselves from Great
Britain.
The Declaration's
introduction states the philosophy upon which the colonies' decision to rebel is
based.
The body of the document lists the specific grievances of the British government-the evidence. The British government's infringement upon the colonists' God
given rights include preventing the passing of laws that promote the common
good, calling legislative assemblies at places designed to prevent colonial
leaders from attending, the dissolution of representative bodies of governments,
the presence of standing armies in times of peace, the harrassment of colonists
by British officials, establishing unfair trade laws, denying colonists a fair trial,
waging war against the colonies, and the impressment of American sailors into
the British Navy.
In addition to the list of grievances, Jefferson and his committee assert that the
colonists have repeatedly expressed their dissatisfaction with their treatment and
that the British have done nothing about it.
When in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to
dissolve the political Bands which have connected them with another, Mankind
requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
The History of the present King of Great Britain is a History of repeated Injuries
and Usurpations, all having in direct Object and Establishment of an absolute
Tyranny over these States.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in
GENERAL CONGRESS...solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United
Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE and INDEPENDENT STATES; that
they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown..."
WE hold these Truths to be self evident that 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-(1) equality under the law; (2) equality in the eyes of God; and (3) freedom from
coercion and tyranny, not from work and trials. In addition, equality denotes
equality of opportunity, that all citizens in the United States have the opportunity
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of what that happiness
entails, assuming it does not abridge the unalienable rights of others.
Reasons for The Declaration of Independence must not exclude political ones.
The war with Great Britain had been going on for over a year and it was not
going well. As the delegates met in Philadelphia, the invasion of Canada had just
failed and colonial leaders had received news that German mercenaries were on
their way to fight for the British.
The war needed a purpose. The Continental Congress had to rally the colonists
and they had to elicit help from foreign powers. The best way to do so was to
declare independence.
1.
The introduction and conclusion contain four references to God.
This appeal to God is one of many historical "God is on our side" wartime
appeals. It's probable that the British used the same argument to rally its
people.
2. The Declaration's authors needed to win the support and recognition of
foreign powers and needed to establish just cause for their rebellion.
3. The founding fathers understood the nature of man.
totalitarian regimes eliminate all barriers to absolute power.
Thomas Jefferson John Adams Robert R. Livingston Roger Sherman Benjamin
Franklin