Free Essays on The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is considered one of the most important documents in world history because its effects were felt around the world and not only in its place of origin, the United States. While blacks used context from the declaration to challenge slavery in the United States, the French used its ideals to start their own revolution. The Declaration of Independence can be seen to be one of the few documents that had a profound impact on the world, and this can be easily seen because of the changes it brought forth. The Declaration of Independence was a document made by several delegates of the U.S. in 1776. It was simply made as a document that declared the independence of the 13 British colonies in America. On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration after a few changes were made to it. Even though the Declaration’s main purpose was to declare the colonies independent, there were many other ideas the declaration addressed. There are many important abstractions in the Declaration of Independence. These abstractions such as: rights, freedom, liberty and happiness have become the foundations of American society and have helped shape the â€Å"American identity†. Power, another abstraction that reoccurs in all major parts of the Declaration plays equally important role in shaping the â€Å"American identity†. Even though power is addressed very indirectly in the declaration its existence is still valued. All of these important abstractions collectively have led to major changes in the world. A very simple phrase: â€Å"all men are created equal† which is included in the Declaration of Independence was quickly used by blacks in the U.S. to question slavery. They wondered if all men were indeed created equal then how could one man own another man. â€Å"The ideal of equity led Northern states to free slaves within their borders in the 1780s, 1790s and 1800s†. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000). The ... Free Essays on The Declaration of Independence Free Essays on The Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence Many people know famous lines from the Declaration of Independence such as â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but what many people do not know is that these lines are the result of revisions that were made to the original Declaration. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration in June of 1776, but over a one-month period the document was revised and about eighty-six changes had been made to the original copy. Only after these changes were made did Congress accept and pass the Declaration of Independence, on July 4th of 1776, which announced and justified the separation of the 13 colonies from Great Britain. There were a number of additions, deletions, and changes of wording that were made to the document. Of these changes was the deletion of an entire passage about slavery. The passage read as follows: He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither. This piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the CHRISTIAN king of Great Britain, determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought and sold, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce: and that his assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished die, he is now exiting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has denied them, and murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of ano ther. Deleting this passage from the Declaration of Independence had a ... Free Essays on The Declaration Of Independence The Declaration of Independence is considered one of the most important documents in world history because its effects were felt around the world and not only in its place of origin, the United States. While blacks used context from the declaration to challenge slavery in the United States, the French used its ideals to start their own revolution. The Declaration of Independence can be seen to be one of the few documents that had a profound impact on the world, and this can be easily seen because of the changes it brought forth. The Declaration of Independence was a document made by several delegates of the U.S. in 1776. It was simply made as a document that declared the independence of the 13 British colonies in America. On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration after a few changes were made to it. Even though the Declaration’s main purpose was to declare the colonies independent, there were many other ideas the declaration addressed. There are many important abstractions in the Declaration of Independence. These abstractions such as: rights, freedom, liberty and happiness have become the foundations of American society and have helped shape the â€Å"American identity†. Power, another abstraction that reoccurs in all major parts of the Declaration plays equally important role in shaping the â€Å"American identity†. Even though power is addressed very indirectly in the declaration its existence is still valued. All of these important abstractions collectively have led to major changes in the world. A very simple phrase: â€Å"all men are created equal† which is included in the Declaration of Independence was quickly used by blacks in the U.S. to question slavery. They wondered if all men were indeed created equal then how could one man own another man. â€Å"The ideal of equity led Northern states to free slaves within their borders in the 1780s, 1790s and 1800s†. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000). The ... Free Essays on The Declaration of Independence Many people know famous lines from the Declaration of Independence such as â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but what many people do not know is that these lines are the result of revisions that were made to the original Declaration. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration in June of 1776, but over a one-month period the document was revised and about eighty-six changes had been made to the original copy. Only after these changes were made did Congress accept and pass the Declaration of Independence, on July 4th of 1776, which announced and justified the separation of the 13 colonies from Great Britain. There were a number of additions, deletions, and changes of wording that were made to the document. Of these changes was the deletion of an entire passage about slavery. The passage read as follows: He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither. This piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the CHRISTIAN king of Great Britain, determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought and sold, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce: and that his assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished die, he is now exiting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has denied them, and murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of ano ther. Deleting this passage from the Declaration of Independence had a great impact on United States histo...