PARTS OF THE DECLARATION

• Preamble– “When in the course of human events…”

• Declaration of Rights– “We hold these truths to be self-evident”

• List of Grievances– “He has….”– Abuses committed by the King.

• Declaration of Independence – Thereby declaring war on Britain.

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 to 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.

1. When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,,

Do What?1. When it is time to leave the country or position

that I am in.

and 2. 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 them3 a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

2. Because I have rights through nature John Locke’s Natural Law

3. It makes sense we tell the world why we are leaving and maybe some of the countries(France) will help us..

Declaration

• We hold these truths to be self-evident – We think it is natural,

obvious

• that all men are created equal– Jean-Jacques

Rousseau’s enlightenment idea

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain

unalienable rights

• John Locke’s Natural Law theory– that among these are life, liberty and the

pursuit of happiness• Locke said life, liberty, and property are the natural

rights

That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

•Consent of the governed•Popular sovereignty-the people rule•Government exists because we say it can

Grievances to the King

• Taxation without representation• Quartering troops• Abolishing our representative bodies• Stopping our trade • Hiring mercenaries(Hessians) to control

the colonists• No trial by jury• Jailed without cause

Declaration of Independence

• AUTHOR: Thomas Jefferson

• INFLUENCES:– Enlightenment ideas– Social Contract Theory of

John Locke– John Locke’s Natural Rights-

Life, liberty and property– Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “All

Men are created equal”– Popular sovereignty: consent

from the governed

Social Contract Theory

• Agreement between the government and the governed: the government and the people

• Contract states that the people will follow the rules of the government so long as the government looks out for their best interest. When the government stops looking out for the people, the people have a right to abolish the government.

• People agree to give up part of their freedom to a government in exchange for protection of natural rights

Social Contract within Declaration of Independence

• 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,