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Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum .)  The spelling and punctuation reflects the original.

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, 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 of 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Button Gwinnett

George Walton

North Carolina

William Hooper

Joseph Hewes

South Carolina

Edward Rutledge

Thomas Heyward, Jr.

Thomas Lynch, Jr.

Arthur Middleton

Massachusetts

John Hancock

Samuel Chase

William Paca

Thomas Stone

Charles Carroll of Carrollton

George Wythe

Richard Henry Lee

Thomas Jefferson

Benjamin Harrison

Thomas Nelson, Jr.

Francis Lightfoot Lee

Carter Braxton

Pennsylvania

Robert Morris

Benjamin Rush

Benjamin Franklin

John Morton

George Clymer

James Smith

George Taylor

James Wilson

George Ross

Caesar Rodney

George Read

Thomas McKean

William Floyd

Philip Livingston

Francis Lewis

Lewis Morris

Richard Stockton

John Witherspoon

Francis Hopkinson

Abraham Clark

New Hampshire

Josiah Bartlett

William Whipple

Samuel Adams

Robert Treat Paine

Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island

Stephen Hopkins

William Ellery

Connecticut

Roger Sherman

Samuel Huntington

William Williams

Oliver Wolcott

Matthew Thornton

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The Declaration of Independence

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Summary: “the declaration of independence”.

The Declaration of Independence is one of the founding documents of the United States of America. The text was written primarily by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776 after the Second Continental Congress appointed him the chair of the Committee of Five (the others were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman), a group designated to draft a statement declaring the American colonies independent from Great Britain. Jefferson based his draft on existing documents such as George Mason’s draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and Enlightenment-era texts by authors such as John Locke. Jefferson would later say he was not striving for originality but to express the American mind. The Continental Congress edited Jefferson’s draft and signed the Declaration on July 4, 1776. John Dunlap printed copies of the Declaration that same night. Today, the original document is among the most important in American history and is on display in the rotunda of the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC.

This study guide makes use of the transcription of that version produced by the National Archives .

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The Declaration opens with a preamble explaining why the document was created: It is necessary to provide reasons when one nation severs its political ties to another. Jefferson argues that all men are created equal and possess rights that should not be denied by any government. These rights include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When a government fails to secure or defend these rights, the people are justified in overthrowing that government and replacing it with one that they believe will do so. While a people ought not to overthrow a government for minor reasons, the British government has committed a long list of abuses against the colonists who, as a consequence, now declare their independence.

The Declaration identifies 27 abuses committed by King George III. For example, he has not allowed the colonists to be represented in Parliament. He has eliminated created new offices designed to harass colonists. He has made the military independent of, and more powerful than, civilian governments. He also imposed, along with Parliament, policies to which the colonists could not and did not consent, including legislation that imposed taxes on the colonists and required them to house British soldiers. Additionally, he abridged the colonists’ rights to trial by jury and free trade. Finally, he has not defended the borders of the colonies but instead has used the British military to seize American ships and made it clear that he intends to pay foreign mercenaries, if necessary, to suppress insurrection in the colonies.

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Because of these grievances, the colonial governments have tried to petition the British government peacefully to resolve the tensions. The king has ignored these petitions. Individual colonists who appealed to individual British citizens about their concerns have also been ignored. Even appeals to shared customs and heritage have fallen on deaf ears. After these repeated diplomatic efforts, the colonists are left with no choice but to declare independence.

The resulting nation will be called the United States of America and will claim the rights granted to all nations, including the right to make war and peace, ally with other nations, trade freely, and do anything else that nations are allowed to do. The signers pledge their lives, fortunes, and honor to the cause and believe they are protected by a higher power.

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Declaration of Independence

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 28, 2023 | Original: October 27, 2009

july 4, 1776, the continental congress, the declaration of independence, the american revolution

The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by a nation’s people asserting their right to choose their own government.

When armed conflict between bands of American colonists and British soldiers began in April 1775, the Americans were ostensibly fighting only for their rights as subjects of the British crown. By the following summer, with the Revolutionary War in full swing, the movement for independence from Britain had grown, and delegates of the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue. In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson , John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies’ intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence—written largely by Jefferson—in Philadelphia on July 4 , a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.

America Before the Declaration of Independence

Even after the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did–like John Adams– were considered radical. Things changed over the course of the next year, however, as Britain attempted to crush the rebels with all the force of its great army. In his message to Parliament in October 1775, King George III railed against the rebellious colonies and ordered the enlargement of the royal army and navy. News of his words reached America in January 1776, strengthening the radicals’ cause and leading many conservatives to abandon their hopes of reconciliation. That same month, the recent British immigrant Thomas Paine published “Common Sense,” in which he argued that independence was a “natural right” and the only possible course for the colonies; the pamphlet sold more than 150,000 copies in its first few weeks in publication.

Did you know? Most Americans did not know Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence until the 1790s; before that, the document was seen as a collective effort by the entire Continental Congress.

In March 1776, North Carolina’s revolutionary convention became the first to vote in favor of independence; seven other colonies had followed suit by mid-May. On June 7, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence before the Continental Congress when it met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution and called a recess for several weeks. Before departing, however, the delegates also appointed a five-man committee–including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York–to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. That document would become known as the Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson Writes the Declaration of Independence

Jefferson had earned a reputation as an eloquent voice for the patriotic cause after his 1774 publication of “A Summary View of the Rights of British America,” and he was given the task of producing a draft of what would become the Declaration of Independence. As he wrote in 1823, the other members of the committee “unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught [sic]. I consented; I drew it; but before I reported it to the committee I communicated it separately to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams requesting their corrections….I then wrote a fair copy, reported it to the committee, and from them, unaltered to the Congress.”

As Jefferson drafted it, the Declaration of Independence was divided into five sections, including an introduction, a preamble, a body (divided into two sections) and a conclusion. In general terms, the introduction effectively stated that seeking independence from Britain had become “necessary” for the colonies. While the body of the document outlined a list of grievances against the British crown, the preamble includes its most famous passage: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable 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.”

The Continental Congress Votes for Independence

The Continental Congress reconvened on July 1, and the following day 12 of the 13 colonies adopted Lee’s resolution for independence. The process of consideration and revision of Jefferson’s declaration (including Adams’ and Franklin’s corrections) continued on July 3 and into the late morning of July 4, during which Congress deleted and revised some one-fifth of its text. The delegates made no changes to that key preamble, however, and the basic document remained Jefferson’s words. Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence later on the Fourth of July (though most historians now accept that the document was not signed until August 2).

The Declaration of Independence became a significant landmark in the history of democracy. In addition to its importance in the fate of the fledgling American nation, it also exerted a tremendous influence outside the United States, most memorably in France during the French Revolution . Together with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights , the Declaration of Independence can be counted as one of the three essential founding documents of the United States government.

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Text of the Declaration of Independence

Note: The source for this transcription is the first printing of the Declaration of Independence, the broadside produced by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776. Nearly every printed or manuscript edition of the Declaration of Independence has slight differences in punctuation, capitalization, and even wording. To find out more about the diverse textual tradition of the Declaration, check out our Which Version is This, and Why Does it Matter? resource.

        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 of 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World.           He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good.           He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance, unless suspended in their Operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.            He has refused to pass other Laws for the Accommodation of large Districts of People, unless those People would relinquish the Right of Representation in the Legislature, a Right inestimable to them, and formidable to Tyrants only.           He has called together Legislative Bodies at Places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the Depository of their public Records, for the sole Purpose of fatiguing them into Compliance with his Measures.           He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People.           He has refused for a long Time, after such Dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and Convulsions within.            He has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that Purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their Migrations hither, and raising the Conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.           He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.           He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries.           He has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harrass our People, and eat out their Substance.           He has kept among us, in Times of Peace, Standing Armies, without the consent of our Legislatures.           He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.           He has combined with others to subject us to a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution, and unacknowledged by our Laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:           For quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us:           For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:           For cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World:           For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:           For depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury:           For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended Offences:           For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an arbitrary Government, and enlarging its Boundaries, so as to render it at once an Example and fit Instrument for introducing the same absolute Rule into these Colonies:           For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:           For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all Cases whatsoever.           He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.           He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our Towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People.           He is, at this Time, transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the Works of Death, Desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy, scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous Ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized Nation.           He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the Executioners of their Friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.           He has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions.           In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People.           Nor have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of Attempts by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends.           We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress, JOHN HANCOCK, President.

Attest. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

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History Resources

declaration of independence short essay

The Declaration of Independence

By tim bailey, view the declaration in the gilder lehrman collection by clicking here and here . for additional primary resources click here  and here ., unit objective.

Stone facsimile of the Declaration, created 1823. (GLC00154.02)

This unit is part of Gilder Lehrman’s series of Common Core State Standards–based teaching resources. These units were written to enable students to understand, summarize, and analyze original texts of historical significance. Students will demonstrate this knowledge by writing summaries of selections from the original document and, by the end of the unit, articulating their understanding of the complete document by answering questions in an argumentative writing style to fulfill the Common Core State Standards. Through this step-by-step process, students will acquire the skills to analyze any primary or secondary source material.

While the unit is intended to flow over a five-day period, it is possible to present and complete the material within a shorter time frame. For example, the first two days can be used to ensure an understanding of the process with all of the activity completed in class. The teacher can then assign lessons three and four as homework. The argumentative essay is then written in class on day three.

Students will be asked to "read like a detective" and gain a clear understanding of the Declaration of Independence. Through reading and analyzing the original text, the students will know what is explicitly stated, draw logical inferences, and demonstrate these skills by writing a succinct summary and then restating that summary in the student’s own words. In the first lesson this will be facilitated by the teacher and done as a whole-class lesson.

Introduction

Tell the students that they will be learning what Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1776 that served to announce the creation of a new nation by reading and understanding Jefferson’s own words. Resist the temptation to put the Declaration into too much context. Remember, we are trying to let the students discover what Jefferson and the Continental Congress had to say and then develop ideas based solely on the original text.

  • The Declaration of Independence, abridged  (PDF)
  • Teacher Resource:  Complete text of the Declaration of Independence  (PDF). This transcript of the Declaration of Independence is from the National Archives online resource The Charters of Freedom .
  • Summary Organizer #1  (PDF)
  • All students are given an abridged copy of the Declaration of Independence and are asked to read it silently to themselves.
  • The teacher then "share reads" the text with the students. This is done by having the students follow along silently while the teacher begins reading aloud. The teacher models prosody, inflection, and punctuation. The teacher then asks the class to join in with the reading after a few sentences while the teacher continues to read along with the students, still serving as the model for the class. This technique will support struggling readers as well as English Language Learners (ELL).
  • The teacher explains that the students will be analyzing the first part of the text today and that they will be learning how to do in-depth analysis for themselves. All students are given a copy of Summary Organizer #1. This contains the first selection from the Declaration of Independence.
  • The teacher puts a copy of Summary Organizer #1 on display in a format large enough for all of the class to see (an overhead projector, Elmo projector, or similar device). Explain that today the whole class will be going through this process together.
  • Explain that the objective is to select "Key Words" from the first section and then use those words to create a summary sentence that demonstrates an understanding of what Jefferson was saying in the first paragraph.
  • Guidelines for selecting the Key Words: Key Words are very important contributors to understanding the text. Without them the selection would not make sense. These words are usually nouns or verbs. Don’t pick "connector" words (are, is, the, and, so, etc.). The number of Key Words depends on the length of the original selection. This selection is 181 words so we can pick ten Key Words. The other Key Words rule is that we cannot pick words if we don’t know what they mean.
  • Students will now select ten words from the text that they believe are Key Words and write them in the box to the right of the text on their organizers.
  • The teacher surveys the class to find out what the most popular choices were. The teacher can either tally this or just survey by a show of hands. Using this vote and some discussion the class should, with guidance from the teacher, decide on ten Key Words. For example, let’s say that the class decides on the following words: necessary, dissolve, political bonds (yes, technically these are two words, but you can allow such things if it makes sense to do so; just don’t let whole phrases get by), declare, separation, self-evident, created equal, liberty, abolish, and government. Now, no matter which words the students had previously selected, have them write the words agreed upon by the class or chosen by you into the Key Words box in their organizers.
  • The teacher now explains that, using these Key Words, the class will write a sentence that restates or summarizes what was stated in the Declaration. This should be a whole-class discussion-and-negotiation process. For example, "It is necessary for us to dissolve our political bonds and declare a separation; it is self-evident that we are created equal and should have liberty, so we need to abolish our current government." You might find that the class decides they don’t need the some of the words to make it even more streamlined. This is part of the negotiation process. The final negotiated sentence is copied into the organizer in the third section under the original text and Key Words sections.
  • The teacher explains that students will now be putting their summary sentence into their own words, not having to use Jefferson’s words. Again, this is a class discussion-and-negotiation process. For example, "We need to get rid of our old government so we can be free."
  • Wrap up: Discuss vocabulary that the students found confusing or difficult. If you choose, you could have students use the back of their organizers to make a note of these words and their meanings.

Students will be asked to "read like a detective" and gain a clear understanding of what Thomas Jefferson was writing about in the Declaration of Independence. Through reading and analyzing the original text, the students will know what is explicitly stated, draw logical inferences, and demonstrate these skills by writing a succinct summary and then restating that summary in the student’s own words. In the second lesson the students will work with partners and in small groups.

Tell the students that they will be further exploring the meaning of the Declaration of Independence by reading and understanding Jefferson’s text and then being able to tell, in their own words, what he said. Today they will be working with partners and in small groups.

  • Summary Organizer #2  (PDF)
  • All students are given the abridged copy of the Declaration of Independence and are asked to read it silently to themselves.
  • The students and teacher discuss what they did yesterday and what they decided was the meaning of the first selection.
  • The teacher then "share reads" the second selection with the students. This is done by having the students follow along silently while the teacher begins reading aloud. The teacher models prosody, inflection, and punctuation. The teacher then asks the class to join in with the reading after a couple of sentences while the teacher continues to read along with the students, still serving as the model for the class. This technique will support struggling readers as well as English Language Learners (ELL).
  • The teacher explains that the class will be analyzing the second selection from the Declaration of Independence today. All students are given a copy of Summary Organizer #2. This contains the second selection from the Declaration.
  • The teacher puts a copy of Summary Organizer #2 on display in a format large enough for all of the class to see (an overhead projector, Elmo projector, or similar device). Explain that today they will be going through the same process as yesterday but with partners and in small groups.
  • Explain that the objective is still to select "Key Words" from the second selection and then use those words to create a summary sentence that demonstrates an understanding of what Jefferson was saying in that selection.
  • Guidelines for selecting the Key Words: The guidelines for selecting Key Words are the same as they were yesterday. However, because this paragraph is shorter than the last one at 148 words, they can pick only seven or eight Key Words.
  • Pair the students up and have them negotiate which Key Words to select. After they have decided on their words both students will write them in the Key Words box of their organizers.
  • The teacher now puts two pairs together. These two pairs go through the same negotiation-and-discussion process to come up with their Key Words. Be strategic in how you make your groups to ensure the most participation by all group members.
  • The teacher now explains that by using these Key Words the group will build a sentence that restates or summarizes what Thomas Jefferson was saying. This is done by the group negotiating with its members on how best to build that sentence. Try to make sure that everyone is contributing to the process. It is very easy for one student to take control of the entire process and for the other students to let them do so. All of the students should write their negotiated sentence into their organizers.
  • The teacher asks for the groups to share out the summary sentences they have created. This should start a teacher-led discussion that points out the qualities of the various attempts. How successful were the groups at understanding the Declaration and were they careful to only use Jefferson’s Key Words in doing so?
  • The teacher explains that the group will now be putting their summary sentence into their own words, not having to use Jefferson’s words. Again, this is a group discussion-and-negotiation process. After they have decided on a sentence it should be written into their organizers. Again, the teacher should have the groups share out and discuss the clarity and quality of the groups’ attempts.

Students will be asked to "read like a detective" and gain a clear understanding of the meaning of the Declaration of Indpendence. Through reading and analyzing the original text, the students will know what is explicitly stated, draw logical inferences, and demonstrate these skills by writing a succinct summary and then restating that summary in the student’s own words. In this lesson the students will be working individually.

Tell the students that they will be further exploring what Thomas Jefferson was saying in the third selection from the Declaration of Independence by reading and understanding Jefferson’s words and then being able to tell, in their own words, what he said. Today they will be working by themselves on their summaries.

  • Summary Organizer #3  (PDF)
  • The students and teacher discuss what they did yesterday and what they decided was the meaning of the first two selections.
  • The teacher then "share reads" the third selection with the students. This is done by having the students follow along silently while the teacher begins reading aloud. The teacher models prosody, inflection, and punctuation. The teacher then asks the class to join in with the reading after a couple of sentences while the teacher continues to read along with the students, still serving as the model for the class. This technique will support struggling readers as well as English Language Learners (ELL).
  • The teacher explains that the class will be analyzing the third selection from the Declaration of Independence today. All students are given a copy of Summary Organizer #3. This contains the third selection from the Declaration.
  • The teacher puts a copy of Summary Organizer #3 on display in a format large enough for all of the class to see (an overhead projector, Elmo projector, or similar device). Explain that today they will be going through the same process as yesterday, but they will be working by themselves.
  • Explain that the objective is still to select "Key Words" from the third paragraph and then use those words to create a summary sentence that demonstrates an understanding of what Jefferson was saying in that selection.
  • Guidelines for selecting the Key Words: The guidelines for selecting Key Words are the same as they were yesterday. However, because this paragraph is longer (208 words) they can pick ten Key Words.
  • Have the students decide which Key Words to select. After they have chosen their words they will write them in the Key Words box of their organizers.
  • The teacher explains that, using these Key Words, each student will build a sentence that restates or summarizes what Jefferson was saying. They should write their summary sentences into their organizers.
  • The teacher explains that they will be putting their summary sentence into their own words, not having to use Jefferson’s words. This should be added to their organizers.
  • The teacher asks for students to share out the summary sentences they have created. This should start a teacher-led discussion that points out the qualities of the various attempts. How successful were the students at understanding what Jefferson was writing about?

Tell the students that they will be further exploring what Thomas Jefferson was saying in the fourth selection from the Declaration of Independence by reading and understanding Jefferson’s words and then being able to tell, in their own words, what he said. Today they will be working by themselves on their summaries.

  • Summary Organizer #4  (PDF)
  • The students and teacher discuss what they did yesterday and what they decided was the meaning of the first three selections.
  • The teacher then "share reads" the fourth selection with the students. This is done by having the students follow along silently while the teacher begins reading aloud. The teacher models prosody, inflection, and punctuation. The teacher then asks the class to join in with the reading after a couple of sentences while the teacher continues to read along with the students, still serving as the model for the class. This technique will support struggling readers as well as English Language Learners (ELL).
  • The teacher explains that the class will be analyzing the fourth selection from the Declaration of Independence today. All students are given a copy of Summary Organizer #4. This contains the fourth selection from the Declaration.
  • The teacher puts a copy of Summary Organizer #4 on display in a format large enough for all of the class to see (an overhead projector, Elmo projector, or similar device). Explain that today they will be going through the same process as yesterday, but they will be working by themselves.
  • Explain that the objective is still to select "Key Words" from the fourth paragraph and then use those words to create a summary sentence that demonstrates an understanding of what Jefferson was saying in that selection.
  • Guidelines for selecting the Key Words: The guidelines for selecting Key Words are the same as they were yesterday. Because this paragraph is the longest (more than 219 words) it will be challenging for them to select only ten Key Words. However, the purpose of this exercise is for the students to get at the most important content of the selection.
  • The teacher explains that now they will be putting their summary sentence into their own words, not having to use Jefferson’s words. This should be added to their organizers.

This lesson has two objectives. First, the students will synthesize the work of the last four days and demonstrate that they understand what Jefferson was saying in the Declaration of Independence. Second, the teacher will ask questions of the students that require them to make inferences from the text and also require them to support their conclusions in a short essay with explicit information from the text.

Tell the students that they will be reviewing what Thomas Jefferson was saying in the Declaration of Independence. Second, you will be asking them to write a short argumentative essay about the Declaration; explain that their conclusions must be backed up by evidence taken directly from the text.

  • All students are given the abridged copy of the Declaration of Independence and then are asked to read it silently to themselves.
  • The teacher asks the students for their best personal summary of selection one. This is done as a negotiation or discussion. The teacher may write this short sentence on the overhead or similar device. The same procedure is used for selections two, three, and four. When they are finished the class should have a summary, either written or oral, of the Declaration in only a few sentences. This should give the students a way to state what the general purpose or purposes of the document were.
  • The teacher can have the students write a short essay now addressing one of the following prompts or do a short lesson on constructing an argumentative essay. If the latter is the case, save the essay writing until the next class period or assign it for homework. Remind the students that any arguments they make must be backed up with words taken directly from the Declaration of Independence. The first prompt is designed to be the easiest.
  • What are the key arguments that Thomas Jefferson makes for the colonies’ separation from Great Britain?
  • Can the Declaration of Independence be considered a declaration of war? Using evidence from the text argue whether this is or is not true.
  • Thomas Jefferson defines what the role of government should and should not be. How does he make these arguments?

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declaration of independence short essay

Background Essay: Applying the Ideals of the Declaration of Independence

declaration of independence short essay

Guiding Questions: Why have Americans consistently appealed to the Declaration of Independence throughout U.S. history? How have the ideals in the Declaration of Independence affected the struggle for equality throughout U.S. history?

  • I can explain how the ideals of the Declaration of Independence have inspired individuals and groups to make the United States a more equal and just society.

Essential Vocabulary

In an 1857 speech criticizing the Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857), Abraham Lincoln commented that the principle of equality in the Declaration of Independence was “meant to set up a standard maxim [fundamental principle] for a free society.” Indeed, throughout American history, many Americans appealed to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence to make liberty and equality a reality for all.

A constitutional democracy requires vigorous deliberation and debate by citizens and their representatives. Therefore, it should not be surprising that the meanings and implications of the Declaration of Independence and its principles have been debated and contested throughout history. This civil and political dialogue helps Americans understand the principles and ideas upon which their country was founded and the means of working to achieve them.

Applying the Declaration of Independence from the Founding through the Civil War

Individuals appealed [pointed to as evidence] to the principles of the Declaration of Independence soon after it was signed. In the 1770s and 1780s, enslaved people in New England appealed to the natural rights principles of the Declaration and state constitutions as they petitioned legislatures and courts for freedom and the abolition of slavery. A group of enslaved people in New Hampshire stated, “That the God of Nature, gave them, Life, and Freedom, upon the Terms of the most perfect Equality with other men; That Freedom is an inherent [of a permanent quality] Right of the human Species, not to be surrendered, but by Consent.” While some of these petitions were unsuccessful, others led to freedom for the petitioner.

The women and men who assembled at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention , the first women’s rights conference held in the United States, adopted the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions , a list of injustices committed against women. The document was modeled after the Declaration of Independence, but the language was changed to read, “We hold these truths to be self-evident : [clear without having to be stated] that all men and women are created equal.” It then listed several grievances regarding the inequalities that women faced. The document served as a guiding star in the long struggle for women’s suffrage.

The Declaration of Independence was one of the centerpieces of the national debate over slavery. Abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Abby Kelley all invoked the Declaration of Independence in denouncing slavery. On the other hand, Senators Stephen Douglas and John Calhoun, Justice Roger Taney, and Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens all denied that the Declaration of Independence was meant to apply to Black people.

Abraham Lincoln was president during the crisis of the Civil War, which was brought about by this national debate over slavery. He consistently held that the Declaration of Independence had universal natural rights principles that were “applicable to all men and all time.” In his Gettysburg Address, Lincoln stated that the nation was “conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

The Declaration at Home and Abroad: The Twentieth Century and Beyond

The case of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) revealed a split over the meaning of the equality principle even in the Supreme Court. The majority in the 7–1 decision thought that distinctions and inequalities based upon race did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment and did not imply inferiority, and therefore, segregation was constitutional. Dissenting Justice John Marshall Harlan argued for equality when he famously wrote, “In the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens. There is no caste here. Our constitution is colorblind.”

The expansion of American world power in the wake of the Spanish-American War of 1898 triggered another debate inspired by the Declaration of Independence. The war brought the United States into more involvement in world affairs. Echoing earlier debates over Manifest Destiny during nineteenth-century westward expansion, supporters of American global expansion argued that the country would bring the ideals of liberty and self-government to those people who had not previously enjoyed them. On the other hand, anti-imperialists countered that creating an American empire violated the Declaration of Independence by taking away the liberty of self-determination , or freedom of government without foreign interference, and consent from Filipinos and Cubans.

Politicians of differing perspectives viewed the Declaration in opposing ways during the early twentieth century. Progressives [a political and social reform group that began in the late 19th century] such as Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson argued that the principles of the Declaration of Independence were important for an earlier period in American history, to gain independence from Great Britain and to set up the new nation. They argued that the modern United States faced new challenges introduced by an industrial economy and needed a new set of ideas that required a more active government and more powerful national executive. They were less concerned with preserving an ideal of liberty and equality and more concerned with regulating society and the economy for the public interest. Wilson in particular rejected the views of the Founding, criticizing both the Declaration and the Constitution as irrelevant for facing the problems of his time.

President Calvin Coolidge disagreed and adopted a conservative position when he argued that the ideals of the Declaration of Independence should be preserved and respected. On the 150th anniversary of the Declaration, Coolidge stated that the principles formed the American belief system and were still the basis of American republican institutions. They were still applicable regardless of how much society had changed.

During World War II, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan threatened the free nations of the world with aggressive expansion and domination. The United States and the coalition of Allied powers fought for several years to reverse their conquests. President Franklin Roosevelt and other free-world leaders proclaimed the principles of liberty and self-government from the Declaration of Independence in documents such as the Atlantic Charter , the Four Freedoms speech, and the United Nations Charter.

After World War II, American social movements for justice and equality called upon the Declaration of Independence and its principles. For example, in his “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to the Declaration as the “sacred heritage” of the nation but said that it had not lived up to its ideals for Black Americans. King demanded that the United States live up to its “sacred obligation” of liberty and equality for all.

The natural rights republican ideals of the Declaration of Independence influenced the creation of American constitutional government founded upon liberty and equality. They also shaped the expectation that a free people would live in a just society. Indeed, the Declaration states that to secure natural rights is the fundamental duty of government. Achieving those ideals has always been part of a robust and dynamic debate among the sovereign people and their representatives.

Inspired by the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, many social movements, politicians, and individuals helped make the United States a more equal and just society. The Emancipation Proclamation ; the Thirteenth , Fourteenth , and Fifteenth Amendments ; the Nineteenth Amendment ; the 1964 Civil Rights Act ; and the 1965 Voting Rights Act were only some of the achievements in the name of equality and justice. As James Madison wrote in Federalist 51 , “Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained.”

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declaration of independence short essay

The Guiding Star of Equality: The Declaration of Independence and Equality in U.S. History Answer Key

Home — Essay Samples — History — Declaration of Independence — The Declaration of Independence: A Blueprint for Freedom and Democracy

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The Declaration of Independence: a Blueprint for Freedom and Democracy

  • Categories: American History Declaration of Independence

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 716 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, historical context of the declaration of independence, the declaration as a response to british tyranny, the impact of the declaration of independence, the declaration's enduring influence.

  • Taxation Without Representation: The British imposed a series of taxes on the American colonies without granting them representation in the British Parliament, leading to protests such as the Boston Tea Party.
  • British Tyranny: Colonists endured British oppression, including the quartering of British troops, which eroded their civil liberties and self-governance.
  • Enlightenment Ideals: Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke and Thomas Paine promoted ideas of natural rights, social contract theory, and the right to rebel against oppressive governments, which greatly influenced the colonists.
  • Natural Rights: The Declaration asserted that all individuals possessed inherent rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It contended that these rights were not granted by governments but were inalienable.
  • Grievances Against the King: The document listed a litany of abuses and violations of colonial rights committed by King George III, further justifying the call for independence.
  • Right to Alter or Abolish: Citing Enlightenment philosophy, the Declaration proclaimed that when a government became destructive to the protection of rights, it was the right of the people to alter or abolish it and establish a new government.
  • Birth of a Nation: The Declaration marked the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation, free from British rule, and served as the ideological foundation for the new nation's government and laws.
  • Democratic Principles: The principles articulated in the Declaration, such as equality and the protection of individual rights, laid the groundwork for the development of American democracy and the U.S. Constitution.
  • Inspiration for Movements: The Declaration inspired numerous movements for civil rights, social justice, and human rights throughout American history, including the abolitionist movement, the women's suffrage movement, and the civil rights movement.
  • Civil Rights Movement: The Declaration's principles of equality and the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were central to the civil rights movement in the 20th century, as leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. invoked them in their pursuit of racial equality.
  • International Human Rights: The Declaration's emphasis on universal human rights has influenced the development of international human rights standards and conventions, shaping the global discourse on human rights.
  • Contemporary Debates: The Declaration continues to be invoked in contemporary debates on issues such as immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and healthcare, with individuals and groups drawing on its principles to advocate for justice and equality.

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declaration of independence short essay

103 Declaration of Independence Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best declaration of independence topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ good research topics about declaration of independence, 👍 simple & easy declaration of independence essay titles, ❓ declaration of independence essay questions.

  • The Declaration of Independence: The Three Copies and Drafts, and Their Relation to Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” Furthermore, as opposed to the first draft, both the reported draft and the engrossed copy contain the additional phrase “without the consent of our legislatures”, to the argument of the King placing standing armies amongst […]
  • United States Declaration of Independence The main aim was to declare the necessity for independence especially to the colonist as well as to state their view and position on the purpose of the government. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
  • Declaration of Independence – Constitution Thirteen to 22 abuses describe in detail the use of parliament by the King to destroy the colonies’ right to independence.
  • The Declaration of Independence The norms which are presented in the Declaration were connected with all the aspects of the development of the American society in the 18th century.
  • Stylistic Devices Used in the Declaration of Independence The use of rhythm in the Declaration of Independence is used with the intention of emphasizing the points the author is making.
  • Thomas Paine, Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence He employs literal imagery and creates arguments to show that Monarchy was of no use and that England was of no help to the colonies.
  • Declaration of Independence: Thomas Paine, Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson On top of the list is the call for Americans to pay taxes that would oversee the funding of Britain’s defence.
  • Key Ideas in the Declaration of Independence In addition, the compulsion of change that finally led to the declaration of independence based on the consent of the governed.
  • Why Was the Declaration of Independence Written? The Declaration was to serve as a notice to all the nations of the world that the American Colonies were proclaiming their independence from the British Colonists.
  • Declaration of Independence Content The accusation section discloses to the reader a leader who is authoritative, that is, he does not consider the interests of others.
  • Political Philosophy: US Declaration of Independence In the assumption of legitimate political power, a state has the right to develop laws and measures to be used for the purpose of controlling and conserving individual or public property.
  • Declaration of Independence in American History The question as to whether the United States has lived up to the promise of liberty and opportunity for all its citizens can be analyzed by critically looking into a number of issues that the […]
  • Thomas Jefferson Argument in the Declaration of Independence The first argument was that the Great Britain was taking advantage of the communities in the colonies because they could only export their produce to the Great Britain.
  • The American Declaration of Independence ‘The Declaration of Independence’ is one of the importance documents in the history of America as it has laid a foundation to a better constitution.
  • Declaration of Independence – Reason and Significance The main reason for declaring independence against Great Britain was the people’s dissatisfaction with the governing and taxes introduced by it.
  • The History of U.S. Declaration of Independence On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its Crown.
  • Rhetoric of The Declaration of Independence Other than appealing to ethics, Jefferson and the founding fathers required the audience to have an emotional attachment to the Declaration of Independence.
  • The Use of Logic in the Declaration of Independence: Following Jefferson’s Argument By emphasizing the notions of egalitarianism and the principles of natural law, Jefferson successfully appeals to logic and makes a convincing presentation of the crucial social and legal principles to his opposition.
  • Declaration of Independence for USA Analysis Even the Declaration of Independence for the United States of America states that “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish […]
  • Declaration of Independence: All Men Are Created Equal However Jefferson and the other signers of the declaration could not probably believe this at a time when slavery existed in the colonies.
  • Jefferson and Writing the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson was a prominent political leader of the 18th century who made his name in the history of United States of America by drafting the famous Declaration of Independence.
  • Declaration of Independence: Self-Evident Truths Now Open to Question According to Becker, among man’s inalienable rights set in the Declaration as self-evident truths were the freedom of speech and expression, the right to religion and conscience, the right of assembly, the right to equal […]
  • The Original and the Edited Declarations of Independence The Declaration of Independence was an assertion that there was no more war between the thirteen states and Great Britain and that these states were free and sovereign states.
  • Parallelism in the Declaration of Independence This is the technique that Jefferson uses in writing the Declaration of Independence. In using this technique Jefferson enumerates to illustrate the patience of an oppressed people.
  • Texas Declaration of Independence The core issue of the Declaration of Texas Independence is the proclamation of independence itself and the definition of responsibilities and functions of the new Government.
  • Similarities and Differences Between the English Bill of Rights and the American Declaration of Independence The document, the English Bill of Rights, was ratified in the year 1689 by the English parliament. The American Declaration of Independence, like the English Bill of Rights, safeguarded the right of subjects to participate […]
  • The Declaration of Independence and 1984 by George Orwell Another feature that relates the Declaration of Independence to 1984 is a demonstration of the tyranny of the ruler and the restriction of the citizen’s rights.
  • The Declaration of Independence: Document Reaction The declaration of independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and was later adopted by the second continental congress and this declaration of independence illustrates the main reasons that pushed the colonies of the United Kingdom […]
  • English Bill of Rights vs. American Declaration of Independence In a sense, the American constitution is the fruition of the struggle of the people to dispense with the monarchy and privileged aristocracy and it is the voice of an authentic Republic.
  • The Declaration of Independence, the Aim of Political Groups The historic politician played a key role in promoting equality in the United States and the world. The phrase “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” was […]
  • The Struggles Before the Declaration of Independence The tension grew up from the end of the 1760s when capitalism and the formation of the North American nation came into conflict with the policy of the metropolis.
  • Thomas Jefferson on Slavery and Declaration of Independence Additionally, with the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson set the foundation for the abolition of slavery in the future. Thus, the claim that Jefferson’s participation in slavery invalidates his writing of the Declaration of Independence is […]
  • The US Declaration of Independence Analysis This is the first document in history that proclaimed the principle of popular sovereignty as the basis of the state system and rejected the theory of the divine origin of power.
  • Freedom and Equality Among Men in the Declaration of Independence
  • Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography and the Declaration of Independence
  • Abigail Adams Before the Declaration of Independence
  • How Has the Declaration of Independence Influenced the Oppression in America
  • Accusations Against King George in the Declaration of Independence
  • Pursuing Democratic Principles From Declaration of Independence to the U.S. Constitution
  • President Thomas Jefferson and His Declaration of Independence
  • The Fight for Equality: From the Declaration of Independence to a Letter From a Birmingham Jail
  • The Risks, Challenges, and Benefits That Came With the Declaration of Independence in the U.S.
  • United States Declaration of Independence and Rhetorical Analysis
  • Equality: United States Declaration of Independence and Sexual Orientation
  • Analyzing the Style and Virtue of the Declaration of Independence
  • The Meaning Rings True: An Analysis of Text Within the Declaration of Independence and Its Relationship to Modern Events
  • Declaration of Independence: Right to Institute New Government
  • The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America
  • Abolitionism: United States Declaration of Independence and Modern Equivalent
  • Comparing the Three Most Important Documents in the History of the U.S.: The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence
  • The Declaration of Independence: The Ideals of the United States and the Reasons for Separation From Great Britain
  • Analyzing the Structure and Language of the Declaration of Independence
  • How the American Declaration of Independence Affected the World
  • Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for the People in the Declaration of Independence
  • The Natural Rights, Popular Sovereignty, and Social Contract as the Foundation of the Declaration of Independence
  • “All Men Are Created Equal” – Human Rights in the United States Declaration of Independence
  • The Hypocrisy Behind the Creation of the American Declaration of Independence
  • God, Government and the United States Declaration of Independence
  • Emancipation Proclamation and the Declaration of Independence: Comparison
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  • Racial Tension and the Declaration of Independence
  • Modern America Has Not Been Living up to the Five Ideas Expressed in the Declaration of Independence
  • Reasons for Writing the Declaration of Independence
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  • Five American Thinkers and How They Employed the Declaration of Independence Into Their Writings
  • The Laws and Rules in the Declaration of Independence
  • Enlightenment, Romanticism, and the American Declaration of Independence
  • The Key Aspects That Changes the American Lives in the Declaration of Independence
  • The Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence
  • Native Americans and the Declaration of Independence
  • The Original Objectives and Historical Importance of the Declaration of Independence in America
  • The American Dream and the Declaration of Independence
  • Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence
  • Who Was the Author of the Declaration of Independence?
  • What Impact Did the Declaration of Independence Have on Society?
  • How Did the Declaration of Independence Impact Human Rights?
  • When Was the Declaration of Independence of the United States?
  • Does the Declaration of Independence Make All Men Equal?
  • How Did the Declaration of Independence Affect Oppression in America?
  • How Does the Declaration of Independence Reflect the American Dream?
  • How Did the American Declaration of Independence Affect the World?
  • What Was John Locke’s Contribution to the Declaration of Independence?
  • How Can You Analyze the Style and Merits of the Declaration of Independence?
  • What Was Benjamin Franklin’s Role in the Declaration of Independence?
  • Why Is the Declaration of Independence One of the Most Important Documents in Us History?
  • When and Where Was the Declaration of Independence Adopted?
  • What Events Preceded the Declaration of Independence?
  • Who Signed the United States Declaration of Independence?
  • Why Is the Declaration of Independence Important?
  • How Did American Thinkers Use the Declaration of Independence in Their Writings?
  • How Did the Petition of Rights Influence the Declaration of Independence?
  • Where to See the Original Declaration of Independence?
  • What Ideas Were Expressed in the Declaration of Independence?
  • What Were the Reasons Behind the Declaration of Independence??
  • What Was the Partisan Politics of the United States During the Declaration of Independence?
  • What Are the Causes and Effects of Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence?
  • Why Is the Declaration of Independence a Symbol of Freedom?
  • What Issues Were Considered When Writing the Declaration of Independence?
  • What Values of American Society Are Reflected in the Declaration of Independence?
  • What Were the Original Goals of the Declaration of Independence?
  • How Did the Declaration of Independence Impact the Lives of African Americans?
  • What Is the Purpose of the American Declaration of Independence?
  • What Part of the US Constitution Is Similar to the Declaration of Rights?
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COMMENTS

  1. Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence, in U.S. history, document that was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and that announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain.

  2. The Declaration of Independence (1776): Brief Overview

    The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress, states the reasons the British colonies of North America sought independence in July of 1776.

  3. Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence is a document that is most treasured in United State since it announced independence to American colonies which were at war with Great Britain. It was drafted by Thomas Jefferson back in July 1776 and contained formal explanation of the reason why the Congress had declared independence from Great Britain.

  4. Background Essay: The Declaration of Independence

    The Congress issued a declaration of rights stating, "That they are entitled to life, liberty, & property, and they have never ceded [given] to any sovereign power whatever, a right to dispose of either without their consent."

  5. Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

    The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, 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 the...

  6. The Declaration of Independence

    Thomas Jefferson 21 pages • 42 minutes read Thomas Jefferson The Declaration of Independence Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1776 A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. Download PDF

  7. Declaration of Independence

    While the body of the document outlined a list of grievances against the British crown, the preamble includes its most famous passage: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are...

  8. Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence states three basic ideas: (1) God made all men equal and gave them the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; (2) the main business of government is to protect these rights; (3) if a government tries to withhold these rights, the people are free to revolt and to set up a new government.

  9. Essay

    Drafting the Documents Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia behind a veil of Congressionally imposed secrecy in June 1776 for a country wracked by military and political uncertainties.

  10. Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence put forth the doctrines of natural rights and of government under social contract. The document claimed that Parliament never truly possessed sovereignty over the colonies and that George III had persistently violated the agreement between himself as governor and the Americans as the governed.

  11. Text of the Declaration of Independence

    He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our Towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People. He is, at this Time, transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the Works of Death, Desolation, and Tyranny, already begun ...

  12. United States Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence, formally titled The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America (in the engrossed version but not the original printing), is the founding document of the United States.On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress, who had convened at the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence ...

  13. PDF The Declaration of Independence and the Origins of Modern Self

    a period when the large-scale political communities familiar to most people, in most parts of the world, were not nation-states but multinational empires. The notion that "one People" might find it "necessary" to dissolve its links with a larger polity—that is, that it might legitimately attempt to secede from an empire or a composite ...

  14. The Declaration of Independence

    Exact facsimile of the original Declaration of Independence, reproduced in 1823 by William Stone. (Gilder Lehrman Collection) This unit is part of Gilder Lehrman's series of Common Core State Standards-based teaching resources. These units were written to enable students to understand, summarize, and analyze original texts of historical ...

  15. Background Essay: Applying the Ideals of the Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence was one of the centerpieces of the national debate over slavery. Abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Abby Kelley all invoked the Declaration of Independence in denouncing slavery.

  16. Declaration of Independence Essay

    You can also find more Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more. Long and Short Essays on Declaration of Independence for Students and Kids in English. We are providing students with samples of essay on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Declaration Of Independence for reference.

  17. Essays on Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence essay topics is studied from multiple perspectives: the history of its adoption, an analysis of the historical context, an analysis of the text and the arguments used to justify it in the first place, an analysis of underlying principles, the immediate and long-term impact on US history, present-day interpretations of this act, etc.

  18. Declaration of Independence Essay Topics

    Declaring Independence. Not much is known about the conversations that took place between John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson during the drafting of the Declaration of Independence ...

  19. The Declaration of Independence: A Blueprint for Freedom ...

    The Declaration of Independence, a foundational document in American history, serves as a beacon of freedom and democracy. This essay delves into the historical context surrounding the Declaration and explores how it was influenced by the political and social events of the time.

  20. Rhetoric of The Declaration of Independence Essay

    A rhetorical analysis of the Declaration for Independence shows the employment of ethical (ethos), emotional (pathos), and logical (logos) appeals by the drafters. In the statement of their reasons for calling to be independent of the crown, the founding fathers elucidated an ethical appeal. In the statement of their grievances against the King ...

  21. The Declaration of Independence (1776): Suggested Essay Topics

    Previous section The Declaration of Independence -Suggestions for Further Reading. PLUS. Notes See All Notes. Add Note with SparkNotes. Add your thoughts right here! Suggestions for essay topics to use when you're writing about The Declaration of Independence (1776).

  22. Thomas Jefferson and The Declaration of Independence Essay

    This essay will be an analytical paper discussing Thomas Jefferson and The Declaration of Independence. It will also clarify the basic ideas contained in The Declaration of Independence; the influence of the Declaration upon American War of Independence, …show more content…

  23. 103 Declaration of Independence Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    United States Declaration of Independence. The main aim was to declare the necessity for independence especially to the colonist as well as to state their view and position on the purpose of the government. We will write. a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts. 809 writers online.