Declaration Of Independence

4 Pages 908 Words

The Declaration of Independence was written to set out the reasons why the former colonists declared their independence. The document states that “all men are created equal” and they “have the rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The document was largely the work of Thomas Jefferson, but also had other members such as John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston, who made minor changes in the original draft before the final version was reported to Congress. Jefferson’s idea behind the Declaration of Independence was to declare equality of all men; the natural rights of men, granted to them by God; the principle of limited government; government only by the consent of the governed; and the right to rebel against tyrannical government.
Jefferson points out all the faults in the way the government is enforced by the King of Britain. He states how it is unreasonable to the colonists to have to comply with the laws the King has laid out. He also states what the king has done to be unfair. Such as the king has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained. The king also made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. There is a large list of reasons why the colonists are fed up with the King, which I have provided some above and I will continue to state a few more. The King has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He also has affected to render the Military independent of, and superior to, the Civil Power.
The King has combined with others to subject the colonists to a jurisdiction foreign to their constitutions, and unacknowledged by their laws; giving his Assent to governmental Acts of pretended Legislation for the following: quartering lar...