Dbq Essay

In the eighteenth century, the European Enlightenment gave rise to ideological philosophies that supported just and independent governments. For the next two centuries, many countries used the ideas to support movements for equality and independence. The search for equality and independence was driven by economic and social forces because citizens were treated unfairly with land distribution, nations caused people to go poor, and men of color were treated differently. A document containing an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence will help the understanding of this thesis because it will help show freedom caused by the social force. Documents 3 and 4 shows the land distribution being given out unfairly between 1856 and 1908. Document 3 shows a person named Ponciano Arriaga who believes that the land was distributed unfairly because a few people own tremendous amount of land, while the rest of the people suffer in poverty. He shows that those with immense lands must be living a sad life because of the guilt. Document 4 states “Provided that the property rights of landholders are not infringed upon, it will be proposed that peasants be permitted to acquire land, and they will be accorded means to borrow money at a moderate rate.” Land was not distributed evenly out, in order to make sure everyone would not have to be in poverty which caused revolts within the peasantries. Documents 5, 6, and 7 shows that those nations that are rich are also causing their people to become poor. Nation’s “industries are ruined utterly, ruined by foreign rule; your wealth is going out of the country and you are reduced to the lowest level which no human being can occupy” (Document 6). Nations were wasting money on things that did not help the people in the nation, but, at the same time, was taking money from the people like taxes. Document 7 shows that nations that are wealthy cannot do much for their people, but with the support of other nations, they will reach greater