PARTS OF THE DECLARATION
• Preamble
– “When in the course of human events…”
• Declaration of Rights
– “We hold these truths to be self-evident”
• List of Grievances
– “He has….”
– Abuses committed by the King.
• Declaration of Independence
– Thereby declaring war on Britain.
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate
and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God
entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that
they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
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. 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 to these ends, it is the right
of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government,
laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in
such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and
happiness.
1. When, in the course of human events, it becomes
necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another,,
and 2. to assume among the powers of the earth, the
separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and
of nature's God entitle them
3 a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires
that they should declare the causes which impel them to
the separation.
Do What?
1. When it is time to leave the country or position
that I am in.
2. Because I have rights through nature
John Locke’s Natural Law
3. It makes sense we tell the world why we are
leaving and maybe some of the
countries(France) will help us..
Declaration
• We hold these
truths to be selfevident
– We think it is natural,
obvious
• that all men are
created equal
– Jean-Jacques
Rousseau’s
enlightenment idea
that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain
unalienable rights
• John Locke’s Natural Law theory
– that among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness
• Locke said life, liberty, and property are the natural
rights
That to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed
•Consent of the governed
•Popular sovereignty-the people rule
•Government exists because we say it can
Grievances to the King
•
•
•
•
•
Taxation without representation
Quartering troops
Abolishing our representative bodies
Stopping our trade
Hiring mercenaries(Hessians) to control
the colonists
• No trial by jury
• Jailed without cause
Declaration of Independence
• AUTHOR: Thomas Jefferson
• INFLUENCES:
– Enlightenment ideas
– Social Contract Theory of John
Locke
– John Locke’s Natural RightsLife, liberty and property
– Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “All
Men are created equal”
– Popular sovereignty: consent
from the governed
Social Contract Theory
• Agreement between the government and the
governed: the government and the people
• Contract states that the people will follow the
rules of the government so long as the
government looks out for their best interest.
When the government stops looking out for
the people, the people have a right to abolish
the government.
• People agree to give up part of their freedom
to a government in exchange for protection
of natural rights
Social Contract within Declaration
of Independence
• 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,