Bumstead
English 101
October, 1st 2014
Thomas Jefferson: The Declaration of Independence
1. Jefferson refers to laws made in the created universe and the laws established by the Creator. These laws can be observed or reasoned by use of one's conscience and would be observed and reasoned the same by all people throughout the world. “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,” (262, 2).
2. Jefferson feels that to secure the rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, governments are “instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” (262, 2). He thinks that it is the right of the people to put everything into order and secure the rights.
3. Jefferson does not really talk about women in this text and I think the reason being that women were not as important figures as men were back then. He seems to speak only of men. I know this because of the continuous use of the beginning phrase, “He has…” He does seem to favor a patriarchal system. Again he states, “Governments are instituted among Men,” (262, 2). This shows how much important men were in the political and governmental scenes.
4. One use is the listing of the Facts; each cause constitutes a separate paragraph. Some key terms that are repeated are “suspending” and “taking away” which are technically the same thing. They are talking about getting rid of laws and legislations.
5. “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance,” (263, 12). This can start a revolution because it is including violence. And violence never leads to anything good. “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,” (264, 29).
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