Declaration Of Independence DBQ

Improved Essays
Many revolutionary events occurred just a year after “the shot heard round the world” was fired. The Continental congress elected five people to write a statement that would express the reasons why the colonies wanted independence. Among the five who were elected to write this statement was Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson is the founding father that is credited with writing the historical document that declared freedom from Great Britain. There are many excellent ideas presented within the Declaration of Independence, although four ideals inparticular have had a major impact on society, inalienable rights, the consent of the governed, the right to alter or abolish a government, and most importantly equality. Unalienable rights …show more content…
Since History tends to repeat itself a lot this ideal is very important, if the events that caused the Revolutionary war were ever to happen again. “Individuals acting through the Tea Party Movement, seek to restore policies, which are proven to to safeguard liberty and prosperity of all…” (Document D) The Boston Tea Party was the colonists first protest against the unfair British Parliament. If the right to alter or abolish a government was a popular belief during that era, the colonists may have altered or abolished their government instead of declaring war. This ideal is protects the people’s unalienable rights and the consent of the governed. This is possible by allowing the people to make improvements to their government or to destroy the government, if it ever decides to deny people their inalienable rights or tries to ignore the …show more content…
Our two daughters are just finishing their university education at Stanford and Michigan which would never have been possible without this country’s belief in equality…” (Document A) Following the signing of the declaration of Independence, women succeeded in getting the same right as men. So, attendees of one of the first women’s rights conventions believes that the declaration of Independence should be changed accordingly. “... We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal…” If the United States did not believe in equality, then America as we know it would be the same as the colonies were when they were first created. Women would be the property of their husbands and Immigrants would be slaves. Also, only wealthy men would have a say in their government and there would most likely be a Monarch or a

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In comparing the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists, it will be shown that all three of these historical documents relate to one another in some form, especially the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. It is important to note the dates that each document was written, as this has bearing on the relationship between each document. The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, edited by the Second Continental Congress, and adopted by them on July, 4 1776. It was a written statement severing political independence of the thirteen original American colonies from Great Britain, therefore declaring themselves and independent nation.…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On July 4th, 1776, the United States declared independence. Which eventually led up to the revolutionary war. But what actions led to this event that changed the lives of everyone? Well, it all started with the Albany Congress. The 7 leaders of english colonies met up together to discuss how they would take over Frances land.…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    American Independence DBQ

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages

    [introduction] The fight for American Independence began in 1765. However, Americans have long been fighting for their freedom many years before the war actually begun. They were tired of being under British Rule. The main cause of the war dates back in the early 1760s, when the British continuously taxed the colonies. They felt that it was the colonies duty to help pay for the Seven Years War that had just passed.…

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ever stopped and wondered the real reason for the declaration of independence? Of course people assume freedom because we were continents away but when in reality King George III was abusing powers. The most well known abuses were taxation without representation, trial with no jury, and quartering troops in our homes. Those are just some of the many abuses that he implemented on the colonies.…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In 1776, one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, was asked by the continental congress in Philadelphia to write the Declaration of Independence. He wrote it to secure the rights of the people. In the second paragraph, Jefferson states four main ideals. Equality, consent of the governed, the right to alter to abolish one's government and unalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But which ideal is most important.…

    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The reasons why the colonies rebelled, was because the British were overtaxing the colonies because the British were in debt. Because the colonies were acting violent since the colonies were being taxed on everything they dumped chests of tea in the water which made the British angry. The colonies rights were soon taken away. After the Boston Tea Party, the intolerable act was created. The intolerable act was created to punish the colonist for throwing away hundreds chests of tea into the water, this seized all trade and communication in the outside world by closing the port of Boston.…

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to the Declaration of Independence, American citizens are granted four unalienable human rights. They are granted equality, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and a government that will derive its power from their consent. If the government becomes corrupt and makes decisions with no consideration towards their unalienable rights, it is also the right of the American citizen to alter or abolish their government until they have one that works best for them to provide safety and happiness. I believe the ability to alter or abolish a destructive government is the most important concept of the Declaration. This concept gives the American people the ability to ensure their government always has their best interests at heart, and allows them to make their government flexible to fit the needs of the country.…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The declaration of independence has a lot of beliefs but some are more important to others. The ones that are the most important are the ones that are the most are important are the ones that still run America’s government today. They are equality, your Unalienable Rights, and the ability to alter or abolish the United States government. The main or primary author of the Declaration of Independence is Thomas Jefferson. There are four key parts to the Declaration, They are the preamble, the Declaration of Rights, the the Bill of Indictment, and last, the Statement of Independence.…

    • 665 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    If the Declaration of Independence were to be written today, it would be the same as the 1776’s version but with “in regards of age, race, sexuality, and race”. The word men would most likely be replaced with people because some may argue that they don’t want to be “labeled” as men. The idea that people are able to form and change the government would probably stay the same because nowadays, people love to know that they have the power to alter their government. The declaration should also remind people to obey the rules and laws set up by the…

    • 101 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    American Independence Dbq

    • 1707 Words
    • 7 Pages

    America declared 2 wars against England because America wanted to protect their land from British rule which involved the debt England was in from The Seven Years War, Britain seizing American ships and the impressment of men, and domestic concerns involving Indians that live in the West. The American Revolutionary War was declared against Great Britain to separate Britain from the 13 colonies to prevent Britain from creating additional taxes and gaining control over the American colonies. The War of 1812 was declared to focus on domestic concerns with Indians, and domestic concerns with American ships. The first war America declared against England was the American Revolution that lasted from 1765-1783. England was quick to add multiple…

    • 1707 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Declaration of Independence served as a key turning point or as an enlightenment tool for the colonies. Inspired by the ideas of Thomas Paine, John Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu and other philosophers from the age of enlightenment the founding fathers found it essential for them to break free from under Britain’s oppression and subjection. The Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Tax, Townshend taxes, quartering of troops, impressment, the Boston Massacre, the cutting off colonial trade with others parts of the world, and having the colonies pay for war expenses were all signs of the tranny they needed to break free of. Outstandingly, the Declaration of Independence was important because it led to the American Revolution which will recognize for the first time the 13 colonies as an independent country, the new democratic United States of America. Chapter five discussed the passing of the Bill of Rights.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Primarily, the focal point is not the personal life of Thomas Jefferson, but rather, Thomas Jefferson the author and politician. In addition, historians, history professors, and English professors that are lecturing on Thomas Jefferson would serve themselves well studying the extensive content within this book. Furthermore, this book is an excellent source of information for anyone who desires to educate themselves about the man behind the writing of the Declaration of Independence, whom also became the third President of the United States. Because Thomas Jefferson authored the majority of this book, a first-hand account of the animosity that Thomas Jefferson held against the treatment that America was getting from England was helpful in the dissection of the Declaration of Independence. Being able to trace every step in the process of the creation of the Declaration of Independence was quite helpful.…

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Without equality, every single person in America would get treated differently and nobody would have the same rights. With equality, you have the ability to have liberty, and pursuit of happiness. It gives people the ability to be equal to those who are not them which can give people liberty because they can fit into the public. Fitting into the public can give people happy because they have now made friends and new people to help get them along with their journey of becoming what they want to be. Equality may not help get your health care, but it will help you have the ability to obtain the help you need and not be pushed out because of the adversity…

    • 1193 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Declaration of Independence Argumentative After being tormented for so many years by their mother country, 56 people signed a document that would give birth to a new world superpower. The Declaration of Independence is a document that announced to the world the four ideals on which the new country of America would be run on. Of the four ideals, being Equality, Natural Rights, Consent of Governed, and the right to abolish a malfunctioning government, which is the most important?…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Declaration of Independence could not have had the same impact that it did unless it precisely clarified that Equality, is more than a right granted by the government. Equality is a way of living the government is entirely obligated to maintain and…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays