Justin Smith
Historian John Hazelton concluded in a 1906 study of the Declaration of Independence that “the Declaration changed a war of principal – a
defensive war for the redress of wrongs – into a war for the establishment of a separate government.” Is this conclusion valid?
I wholeheartedly agree with his statement. Every reason the continental congress wrote and
declared their independence was to establish a new government because they were alienated by the
crown. Thomas Jefferson said, “May the declaration be to the world, what I believe it will be, the signal
of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded
then to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.” (Source 9)
Thomas Jefferson, along with many others, new America’s Independence would show the world they
were indeed just in their cause and wronged by England and would establish a new government.
The Declaration and ultimate war for rectification of wrong doings by England was well
documented in the Declaration of Independence itself. Most of the grievances against England showed
that the King was a tyrant. (Source 3, my favorite document) The congress proved that when a
government becomes destructive it is the right of the people to establish a new government and would
ultimately be completely different from the original government. A monarchy or dictatorship may rule
for a long time but the people suffer from this type of government.
This document is the foundation of our government and many documents will follow to build
upon it. Carl Becker said, “In the Declaration the foundation of the United States is indissolubly
associated with a theory of politics, a philosophy of human rights which is valid, if at all, not for
Americans only, but for all men.” (Source 14) This statement applies to the next question below, that all
men are created equal.
What did the writers of the Declaration of Independence mean by the statement, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal?”
I think Thomas Jefferson put that line into the Declaration of Independence to show the world
that even a King is no better than a common man. I wasn’t exactly sure what “self-evident” meant so I
looked it up. The definition says, “Obviously true, and requiring no proof, argument or explanation”. To
me this is sort of a leap of faith. The same as the colonist’s belief in God. It was apparent to most
people today that they were only talking about “white” men are equal but the growth and “self-evident”
human rights we are working on now shows proves that it applies today.
In source 11, Senator Stephen A. Douglas said, “… was intended to allude only to the people of
the United States, to men of European birth or decent, being white men, that they were created equal,
and hence that Great Britain had no right to deprive them of their political and religious privileges; but
…did not intend to include the Indian or the negro.” I don’t think that his statements are correct. I think
it was intended for the men of that time and for the future. Abraham Lincoln replied to Senator
Douglas’ statement with, “… that when in the distant future some man, some faction, some interest
should set up the doctrine that none but the rich men, or none but the white man, were entitled to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, their prosperity might look up again… and take courage to renew
the battle which their fathers began”. Lincoln new this statement applied to his era as well. It also
stirred one of the greatest conflicts in Americas history.
I think the founding fathers had the insight to see what direction the United Stated should go. It
was an opportunity for them to build any type of Government they wanted. Luckily for us they started a
government that was flexible and could grow and change. The Declaration of Independence line “all
men are created equal” initially may have started out saying that only white MEN are but it now has the
meaning of all human. This does include men and women of all races.