The Declaration of Independence
The document on the Declaration of Independence was drafted by the Continental Congress of the United States on July 4, 1776, during a meeting in Philadelphia. The Declaration stated that sometimes it is good to separate oneself from political groups and follow the law of nature. The law of nature meant that one should follow the law that the creator of humankind imposed; all men are equal before the creator (America’s Founding Documents, n.p). Therefore, people should learn to respect each man since the law of nature demands us to do so. The Declaration explained why the 13 colonies under Great Britain were displeased with Britain’s rule and demanded separation as independent colonies. Their Declaration stated that; United Colonies ought to be free from any political connection with Britain, be given complete control to levy war, command peace, contract alliance, do commerce, and all other activities carried out by independent countries (America’s Founding Documents, n.p). The thirteen colonies were displeased by King George III of Great Britain because of the following reasons stated in their independence declaration.
He had intentionally refused to accept laws that were meant for the good of the citizens. He did this by banning the approval of laws that were pressing by the governors till they obtained his approval. Through this, he had neglected important laws which angered the United States, politicians. Additionally, the king held his meeting with the legislative bodies in unusual places where they hardly got access to their records and forced them to agree to his measures, whether willingly or unwillingly. He also misused his power by dissolving the house of representatives frequently whenever they failed to pass his laws (America’s Founding Documents, n.p).
Further, the king obstructed the laws of foreigners as he tried to control the United States population. He encouraged more migration to remain with a small population that was easy to control. He also forced judges to adhere to his will whether they judged the case based on their knowledge or not (America’s Founding Documents, n.p). Summarily, the king’s actions were too biased and discriminative to his minors, including the citizens. Therefore, the 13 colonies demanded freedom from all the torture the king had put them through.
The Declaration of Independence has a great connection with the Enlightenment Ideals of freedom and equality, which were written by Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau during the 18th century. The Enlightenment was based on “reason” and “Liberty” for the citizens of the U.S. “Reason” referred to individuals understanding of things that were neither influenced by politics or religion; standing for the truth. “Liberty”, on the other hand, was a move to freedom from; press, a government that lacked reason, and religion that seemed to favor particular groups and neglect another. In other words, the Enlightenment pushed for freedom for the sake of equality (George Mason University & City University of New York, n.p). Likewise, the Declaration of Independence was based on equality, especially from the government torture.
When Congress wrote the declaration document, the ideals were not operative because slavery continued to be practiced. The Declaration stated as follows, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (America’s Founding Documents, n.p) Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration, had slaves that he owned even after the Declaration (US History, n.p). Additionally, when Abigail Adams suggested to her husband, John Adams (first president of U.S.), that while drafting the “new Code of Laws”, women should be considered and given a place, it was a total failure (US History, n.p). Likewise, slavery became more rampant in the 18th century up to the 19th century, with many innocent people kidnapped, purchased, and sold like goods in the marketplace. The U.S government was leading in these slavery cases. Did they really care about the Declaration, or was it just a way for them to get independence? Being in power was their primary motive based on their actions. They failed to understand that they tortured the innocent slaves the same way King George had done to them. Therefore, there was no much difference in their governance.
Today, the ideals are true, although those in power have neglected them. All colonies in the U.S. have their freedom to press, religion, and to command peace as it was desired. What is still lagging is the equality that every man should have. There is no equality in America because people are often discriminated against based on their color, language, and race. Some ethnic groups have been isolated and neglected in the most unproductive parts of the nation. Health services and all other public resources are unevenly distributed. If the Declaration states that God made all individuals equally, why can’t we all enjoy the same rights, freedoms, and resources? It is such a shame that, as American citizens, we know that it is our right to be free, but we do not have the chance to be free.
The government bears the responsibility of carrying out the ideals as envisioned by the founders. This is based on what the Declaration stated “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…” (America’s Founding Documents, n.p). Therefore, it is upon the government to institute the rights of the citizens as the Declaration demanded failure to which the citizens can replace it with another as they please. According to the Declaration, those governed have more power than those governing. Therefore, those governing should govern for the good of the governed always.
As an individual citizen, I believe it is upon myself to choose liberty over oppression and discrimination. By choosing liberty, I will support a society free from political influence and behaviors by assuming what is suitable as an individual. If, for instance, I am elected in any political seat, I will give my views based on what is correct rather than what my fellow politicians choose for their gains. In another instance where I am entrusted to be an H.R. manager, I will select new employees based on their qualification rather than their skin color, age, or language. I support the Declaration that all humans are equal before their creator; therefore, it only fair that each is treated with respect and care despite their status in society. Further, I would fulfill the ideals by joining different organizations that remind us of our worth as human beings each day. By this, I would join human rights activist groups to help push for more reforms in the areas still lagging when it comes to liberty.
Bibliography
America’s Founding Documents. Declaration of Independence: A Transcription. National Archives. July 4, 1776.
US History. The Declaration of Independence and Its Legacy. U.S. History Online Textbook, //www.ushistory.org/us/13a.asp, 2021.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History, and New Media (George Mason University) and American Social History Project (City University of New York). The Enlightenment and Human Rights, 2021, https://revolution.chnm.org/exhibits/show/liberty–equality–fraternity/enlightenment-and-human-rights
