Declaration of Independences Focus on Abuse Rather Than...

The American Declaration of Independence, penned mostly by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, is a beloved document and symbol of freedom in the hearts and minds of Americans. The iconic, tripartite â€Å"slogan† of this document is the right to â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† And while this is for many the most memorable phrase in the document, the actual content focuses much more on the abuses and injuries of King George III than on these inalienable rights. In fact, Jefferson lists twenty seven specific abuses of King George III compared to the three listed inalienable rights. The question then arises, why does Jefferson parse his argument for independence in such a way? This essay seeks to show that Jefferson chose to focus on the†¦show more content†¦By no means was Thomas Jefferson a bigot or racist; he was a product of his era, an era of slavery and social injustice for blacks. While writing about the rights of all men, he would have had to realize that saying all men have a right to liberty contradicted his own ownership of many slaves. Thus, he keeps the discussion of the rights of man short and focuses on the not hypocritical attack on George III. He pays lip service to the idealistic view of equality of men but focuses on the more concrete abuses and injuries of the King to justify independence for America. Jefferson’s cursory treatment of the rights of man and lengthier attention to George III’s mistreatment is also a product of his audience. Jefferson is not writing to somehow change the mind of Britons or their King. America had been at war with Britain for a year when Jefferson wrote the Declaration, having fought Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill a full year or more before the Declaration would be signed. He wrote more to edify and encourage his compatriots and remind them of the reason for war and inspire them to victory. Within days of its completion and signing, the Declaration was copied b y George Dunlap for distribution and had been transmitted to many prominent Americans, including General George Washington. A fragment of the copy Washington had remains in the Library of Congress to this day. Washington ordered the Declaration read to all his