The Declaration of
Independence
America’s Declaration of
Freedom
America under
England’s rule
• America had a Social Contract with the English
government.
• The Social Contract meant that the colonies would
remain loyal to England if the government served
the purposes that it was created for. What are
those purposes?
• Many of our founding fathers felt that England had
violated their part of the agreement.
Declaring Independence
from England
• Primarily written by
Thomas Jefferson,
the colonists sent a
declaration of
freedom to England
for violating the
terms of their
agreement with the
American colony.
And so it begins
• The beginning of the
Declaration of
Independence begins
with the Declaration
of Natural Rights.
• Jefferson felt that the
document should start
with what is expected
of the gov’t and what
rights man had.
So what should people
expect of the government?
• “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.
• This was the Social Contract that the
colonists felt that they had with England.
As a matter of fact …
• In the
Declaration,
Thomas
Jefferson will list
27 different
complaints
against King
George and
Parliament.
Let us decide for
ourselves
#1 – Was England maintaining
a social order in the
American colonies?
• He has obstructed the
Administration of Justice, by
refusing his Assent to Laws
for establishing Judiciary
powers.
• In other words, the colonists
could not make their own
laws. Does this violate the
purpose of gov’t to maintain
social order?
Let us decide for
ourselves!
• #2 - Was England providing
public services for the American
colonists?
• He (the king) has refused his
Assent to the laws, the most
wholesome and necessary for
the public good.
• In other words, he has not
allowed the colonists to provide
for their own needs. Does this
violate the gov’ts obligation to
provide public services?
Decisions continued
• #3 - Was England providing for America’s
national defense?
• He has affected to render the Military
independent of and superior to the Civil power.
• In other words, the colonists could not provide
for their own national defense. Does this
violate the gov’ts purpose of providing for a
national defense?
More complaints
• #4 - Finally, was England providing America with
economic stability?
• For cutting of our Trade with all parts of the world.
• In other words, by cutting off trade between the
colonies and any other country besides England,
was the king allowing for the colonies to provide an
economy?
The conclusion
• Therefore, since the
King has not fulfilled
his obligation to
America, the
colonists have the
right to revolt
because the
government of
England did not fulfill
their obligations
under the Social
Contract.
And thus begins the
American Revolution!