How Does Thomas Jefferson Use Ethos In The Declaration Of Independence

The Founding Fathers, tired of King George’s treatment of the colonies, tasked Thomas Jefferson with the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Serving in the Virginia House of Burgesses and Continental Congress, the Founding Fathers found Jefferson to be qualified for the position. On July 4th, 1776, the draft was sent to King George III to officially declare independence from the English Crown. Thomas Jefferson wrote this clear and persuasive argument for the United States to break away from England using persuasive appeals and stylistic devices. Throughout the Declaration, methods of persuasion are apparent through the use of logos, pathos and ethos. Beginning with logos, Jefferson attempted to reach the audience logically and systematically by using statements that are easily agreeable
“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” sparks the idea that everyone is equal and are given this equality by God, not the English government (Jefferson 679). This statement shines a light on a belief that is well known, but may have been forgotten through King George’s tyranny. Jefferson helps the colonists see that their basic rights should not be subject to change by King George and that these rights are imperishable. Then, Jefferson presses onto his belief “that whenever any Form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it...” which is the case of the tyrannical English rule in the colonies (Jefferson 679). This statement questions why the colonists would consider