1. What is the
author arguing?
The authors of the declaration of independence
are arguing that the colonies should separate themselves from all political
ties with Britain. The article starts off by saying that “All men are created
equal and there are certain unalienable rights that governments should never
violate these rights include the right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. This sentence alone would suggest
that Britain had violated one of those rights. They later on state that if a government
does not protect those rights than the people should have the right to
overthrow the government. By saying this they’re giving justification for their
action, basically there whole argument is that Britain didn’t up hold any of
their rights it lead them to no choice than wanting independence
2. How does the
author appeal to logos (logic), pathos (emotional quality), and ethos (the
writer’s perceived character) with their argument?
The authors use
logos by saying “That all men are created equal”.
By saying that there suggesting that all men have the same rights as one
another which was a huge deal during that time period because it lead the
foundation for future human rights. Also by saying that it brought a sense of
unity amongst the colonies by stating that it doesn’t matter if your rich or
poor were all in it together. They use pathos by saying that they are “endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” meaning that God has given
them rights that no man can take away from them. They used ethos in their
reasoning and evidence they had against how England violated their rights.
3. What is the
historical significance/relevance of this document?
This document had
huge significance on American history. It basically told Britain that we had
enough of there abusive hold on us and we want tolerate it any further. To
think that one piece of paper could have so much impact is somewhat mind boggling
but it did. Basically, the Thirteen Colonies declared themselves independent of
the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. The
Declaration also plays a significant role in our world today it was because of
it that women were allowed to vote and have the same rights as men also it
allowed many of the civil rights act to pass through because of its famous
phrase that “All mean are created equal”.
4. Do you find the
author’s argument convincing? Why or why not?
I find it very
convincing. The first part is an introduction that states the purpose of the
document, which was to explain why the American people were declaring
independence from the government of Great Britain. While the second part is a
theory of what a good government should be and the third part lists the actions
Britain did that violated that theory. All
in all its one of the most organized documents I have read from that time
period to the point that anyone could understand it without a problem. They
backed up there reason for independence with facts and there opinions of an
ideal government.
I admire your first response because you described the colonist as people who had reason for there independance because of the violations that Britian had against them. I also like yours second answer because it described the statement "All men are created equal" which even though you used in your first response you elaborated in the second answer as unified that all men rich or poor were of the same stature.
ReplyDeleteI think that your interpretation of this wonderful piece of history is fairly spot on. The country declaired itself free from the distructive factors not only of the country that many of them had originated from but also declaired this specifaclly to the king in charge of that country. I must say I personally can't agree with you in regards to the Decliration of Independence having anything to do with rights later given to women or African Americans. If that had been the case then those rights would have been given when we broke free of Great Britan. Instead African Americans had to wait 89 years just for slavery to end (13th amendment) and women had to wait 93 years for the first womans suffrage law to be passed. Sadly the Declaration of Independence had nothing to do with those. When the Declaration of Independence as great as it is stated "All men were created equal" It ment just that...men...free men. Deanna Holen
ReplyDeleteYou are dead on when answering what the author was arguing. I think that the quote "All men were created equal..." is the just of why the colonies wanted independence. I like your second answer because it ties into events that happened after wards and the chain of effect that it caused.
ReplyDeleteI find your answers mostly accurate to the text we are analyzing. I really love reading the Declaration of Independence. You just don't find that kind of language used any more. I agree that it was a great forerunner and official document to show Britian that we have had enough. In regards to the sufferagette movement and voting in racial equality, I can only agree insomuch as, had we not become a free country we may not have had those liberties when we did. Being that the majority of voters were (more or less) rich, white men; this is who the Founders were mostly concerned with. The idea of poverty and rich vs. poor was more internalized than on the D of I, but as a body of people, women's rights and racial equality was not much being considered.
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