OPPapers.com

Declaration Of Independence

“We hold these Truths to be self – evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” – Declaration of Independence

Even before the Continental Congress declared independence, most colonies along with some towns, counties, and even private organizations had issued their own declarations. In most cases, these statements detailed British abuses or power and demanded the right of self-government.
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 to manage to rapidly escalating war with England.
Jefferson completed his draft of the declaration in a few days. He argued in his opening two paragraphs that people had the right to overthrow their government when it abused their fundamental natural rights over a long period of time. Then in a direct attack on King George, Jefferson listed twenty instances when the King violated the rights of the American colonists. Jefferson ended his draft by stating, “We do assert and declare these colonies to be free and independent states…”
When Jefferson submitted his draft to the Congress on June 28, the delegates spent little time on his opening paragraphs, which today are the most famous part of the Declaration of Independence. The members of the Continental Congress made only two minor changes in the opening paragraphs of Jefferson’s draft of declaration. In these two paragraphs, Jefferson developed some key ideas: “all men are created equal,” “inalienable rights,” “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Where did Jefferson get these ideas?
Jefferson was a man of enlightenment. He expressed the prevailing sentiments of the colonists’ belief in...