...It is hard to deny that the Declaration of Independence was a document that had great impact. It was one that was revolutionary in some ways, but in other ways it was more of a logical progression from writings that thoughts that had been shaped over the decade following the conclusion of the Seven Year’s War. David Armitage, in an article about the global effects of the Declaration, stated that it was the first successful document of its type. The concept of declaring freedom, and being successful in obtaining it, has inspired the people of dozens of nations to declare their own independence with similar documents. According to Armitage this is where the revolutionary aspects of the Declaration appear. That is in the ability of the document and its...
Words: 518 - Pages: 3
...The Declaration of Independence is one of the most significant document in the history of the United States. From 1773 to 1776, the thirteen colonies became agitated with the British Monarchy. They were dealing with unfair taxation and British troops occupation. As the problems of the colonies grew and were being ignored, problems such as political differences. The British Empire and the American colonies became more hostile towards each other and the American colonies were prepared to declare independence from the British Empire. The American colonies believed they had to expand and conquer the land that God had entitled upon them. They believed that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these rights, life, liberty...
Words: 558 - Pages: 3
...Values of the nation after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States are two fundamental founding documents in American history. In the eighteenth century, the documents foreshadowed the aspirations of the founding fathers for the newly created United States of America. These documents are illustration of the values of the young nation, however they do not represent all the American citizens at the time of writing, as they are limited to the political and societal elite. This will be discussed through an analytical examination of these documents and how they reflect the relationship between the American citizen and nation. As a first consideration, both documents are integral in the understanding of the foundation of the United States. The Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall in Pennsylvania, July 4, 1776 by the founding fathers of the United States of America. On that day the thirteen colonies of the United States dissolved their bond with King George III and Great Britain. The origin of these documents is a primary government source written by leading political figures of the time. The founding fathers developed and signed this document with a belief “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...
Words: 1294 - Pages: 6
...As it stand the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are the oldest documents within the American government. Essentially these two documents hold such value because they had a helping hand in the establishment of America and delivered us our freedom from the British. Although both documents contain key information in regards to the independence of this country, they differ in a many ways. The United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence differ in their intended objectives and appeal. Since being established the United States Constitution has been the highest law of this country. The Declaration of Independence however, is a document that was adopted by congress on July 4, 1776 and announced the 13 colonies who were at war with Great Britain at the time were seeking and declaring sovereignty from the British, thus signifying to all other nations that America had indeed become a free nation. The reason this document came to be was because Throughout the 1760s to early 1770s, North American colonists realized that they were constantly at the losing end of British policies regarding taxation. Although the most commonly remembered phrase within the context of the Declaration of Independence may be that “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”(Hole, 2001 ). In reality there are more to it than just that, although...
Words: 1069 - Pages: 5
...Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech in 1775 along with Thomas Paine’s “Common sense” pamphlet in 1776 greatly influenced the ideas of American colonists when they began questioning their role in the empire of England. The declaration of resolves of the first continental congress in 1774 and the declaration of independence, devised in 1776 had the same effect on these American Colonists. About a year after the declaration, the articles of confederation were published as the first actual constitution, having it’s own effect on personal feelings of colonists. On one hand, the American colonists had a self government which could have influenced their mindset during the 17th through 18th century. On the other hand, a speech by Patrick Henry, a pamphlet by Thomas Paine, two different declarations, and the articles of confederation all lead up to questioning in terms of authority in the empire of England and are what truly caused the mindset of American colonists to change. In March 1775, at the third Virginia convention, held in St. John's Church in Richmond, Patrick Henry gave his iconic “give me liberty or give me death” speech to discuss the latest relations with Great Britain. During Henry’s speech, he states "There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged...
Words: 1606 - Pages: 7
... Influences on the Constitution Table Complete each section below. Include citations for your sources. |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta |Written in 1215, the document was a series of written promises |The magna carta served as the first piece of legislature attempting to keep the | | |that the King would rule England and deal with the people |rights for the people fair. The Americans saw it and read about it and decided it | | |fairly according to feudal law. It was an attempt by the barons|was time America had “higher law” ideas and design a document to give the people | | |to stop the king from becoming an oppressor more than a ruler. |rights and to protect them from oppression, such as the people during the time of | | | |the magna carta were suffering. | |Mayflower Compact |The mayflower compact served as the document needed to keep the|Much like the magna carta, the mayflower compact was put into place to protect | | ...
Words: 1671 - Pages: 7
...Britain. Major ones include the Bill of Rights, Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Northwest Ordinance. After multiple new forms of government were tried, the country finally turned to writing the Constitution constructing a new, strong national government. However, the constitution would not have been created without the influence of The English Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and The Articles of Confederation. The Bill of Rights is a document that plays a major role in the Constitution. This document greatly impacts the citizens and their daily life. When the English Bill of Rights was first written, its purpose was to lessen the power of the king and increase the power of the people. This encouraged the formation and emphasis of individual rights. Under British rule, Americans’ natural rights were denied and/or violated. When the Bill of Rights was introduced Americans were soon to agree for the benefit of individual rights. The English Bill of Rights was not originally apart of the Constitution however it was later added because of its great importance. In 1776 when the colonies declared independence from Britain, the thirteen states of America became their own, independent country. The Declaration of Independence officially separated America from Britain causing a need for a new government to unify the states as one country. Declaring independence influenced the creation of the Constitution because...
Words: 548 - Pages: 3
...Constitution Timeline Tammie Johnson Grand Canyon University: POS 301 June 12, 2013 Constitution Timeline There have been many great event and documents that have made a significant impact on the evolution of the United States Constitution; such as the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Federalist Papers (1787-1788). Each of these events/ documents has changed the way the American people view the government and their responsibilities. The Magna Carta of 1215 is a document that forced the hand of King John of England and reduced the king’s power over the people who lived in England so that they could form a parliament to set the basis for the rights of English citizens. The objective behind this document was to help the people to rein in the king while trying to persuade him to regulate by the long-standing English laws that were in place before the Normans came to the country. The document consisted of thirty-seven English laws that were used to demonstrate to the people of England that the dominance of King John of England could be restricted when put in a written grant. This document played a key role in the history of England because it marked the beginning of a constitutional government in that country (Alchin, 2012). The Mayflower Compact of 1620 was drafted as an agreement among a group of settlers a board the Mayflower in November of 1620 in an effort to set forth fair and equal laws that would...
Words: 1006 - Pages: 5
...the surface, they presented many similarities, such as the guarantee of liberty, but important distinctions also appeared. The primary documents written from each revolution will demonstrate how the papers produced during this period show that the American Revolution fought a system of government while the French Revolution struggled against a hierarchical society. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress of what would become the United States of America approved its first major document: the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration outlined the grievances against the British while also providing details on the universal political values that they believed in, which supported the grievances of the writers, including issues such as taxation without representation, absolute rule, and for destroying the American colonists’ ability to trade. A key phrase of the Declaration noted that the government was legitimate if it had “consent of the governed,” which highlighted the failure of the British colonial government to fairly represent the people they governed in the 13 colonies and the divine right that the king claimed as the legitimacy of his reign. Indeed, Jefferson argued that a government that did not have the consent was not a legitimate government, and...
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...The primary causes of the American Revolution were social in nature because the unjust treatment of the colonists provoked more intellectual thought about individual liberties. Events that induced such thought and were the publication of Common Sense by Thomas Paine, the signing of Declaration of Independence, and the Battle of Saratoga. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common Sense gave hope to the American colonists. The signing of the declaration of independence reinforced the natural rights of the colonists. The American victory of the Battle of Saratoga persuaded the colonists that it was possible for them to over prevail over the British Empire. During 1765, about the time of the intolerable Tea Act, declaring independence had not even crossed the colonists’ minds; their main concern was fair treatment from the British Empire. After several attempts to reconcile with the king, and continual acts of oppression against the 13 colonies, Americans had had enough and separation from Britain was inevitable. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common Sense, persuaded the colonists to keep faith in the revolution. When this pamphlet was written in 1776 the colonies were struggling to overcome the oppression of British superpower. “Common Sense inspired a wide-ranging debate about whether American freedom would be more secure inside or outside the British Empire.” This pamphlet heavily emphasized that the colonists were fully capable of not only declaring independence but maintaining it also. The...
Words: 950 - Pages: 4
...Influences on the Constitution Table Complete each section below. Include citations for your sources. |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta |Magna Carta is a document that King John of England was forced |Magna Carta served to lay the foundation for the evolution of parliamentary clause | | |into signing. The document was a succession of written promises|of the United States Constitution and enforced by the Supreme Court. | | |made between the king and his subjects that he would govern | | | |England and its people in accordance with the customs of feudal| | | |law. ("History Learning Site ", 2000-2013). | | |Mayflower Compact |Mayflower Compact is one if the first governing document of |The Mayflower Compact called for equality amongst people and the provision of | | ...
Words: 1535 - Pages: 7
...constant and continuous conflict between the Jewish and Arabic communities. Through these situations, outer forces, such as Britain, have attempted avaricious approaches to the predicament, which ultimately led to the eruption between the two parties[1]. Beginning with World War 1, The Sykes-Picot Agreement, and the Arabs, following through to The Balfour Declaration with the Jews, showed that the respective parties were forced to rely on outside forces to help mend their broken hearts full of nationalism and possession[2]. It is safe to say that these two breeds of strong-hearted individuals made an impact in more places than Palestine itself. With Britain’s reign over the land, it was the duty of the Arabs and the Jews to get along with one another as best as they could, provided that Britain would give each party what they were owed[3]. Britain and The Balfour Declaration contradicted the original deal during World War 1 between Britain and the Arab community, sparking the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews, which, to this day, made living in Palestine a hostile and challenging place to call ‘home’. The Balfour Declaration, created in 1917, revealed the British offering Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people[4]. For the Jews, this meant that they would finally be able to have what is rightfully their own. Israel is the birthplace of the Jewish community, and living on the land where their story began has been a battle in itself for the Jews for many years[5]. To the...
Words: 2226 - Pages: 9
...University of Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Write one or two paragraphs in each section. Include citations for your sources. Documents Summary What was its influence on the Constitution? Magna Carta Magna Carta, also called Magna Carta Libertatum or The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, is an English charter, originally issued in Latin in the year 1215, translated into vernacular-French as early as 1219,[1] and reissued later in the 13th century in changed versions. The later versions excluded the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority that had been present in the 1215 charter. The charter first passed into law in 1225; the 1297 version, with the long title (originally in Latin) "The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, and of the Liberties of the Forest," still remains on the statute books of England and Wales. The 1215 charter required King John of England to proclaim certain liberties, and accept that his will was not arbitrary, for example by explicitly accepting that no "freeman" (in the sense of non-serf) could be punished except through the law of the land, a right which is still in existence today. Magna Carta was the principal document forced onto an English King by a group of his matters, the feudal barons, in an effort to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges. It was followed and directly influenced by the Charter of Liberties in 1100, in which King Henry I had specified particular...
Words: 3705 - Pages: 15
...Around the time America was declaring independence from Great Britain, our founding fathers of took a great risk in signing their names at the bottom of this document. Being under the control of Great Britain, these men were essentially signing away their lives if this had not gone accordingly. Of those men, Thomas Paine, was not only a contributor to the document, but also played a role in persuading the push in the army to declare our nations independence. Being from England and coming to America, Paine had a good understanding of what was going on around him. Paine was a free thinker who wasn’t afraid to speak out for what was right. After meeting with delegates from the Second Continental Congress, he went on to write the pamphlet “Common Sense.” The pamphlet consisted of many reasons and arguments simply put as to why the...
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
...Within the Declaration of Independence, it states “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” (Declaration of Independence). We Americans live by the notion that all men are created equal. Now that should not exclude any man, woman, or child no matter what their race is. In 1839, 63 years after the Declaration of Independence, 53 African Americans were boarded on the Spanish ship, the Amistad, illegally. The boat was seized by the U.S. navy and the navy held the Africans as pirates. The “pirates” were imprisoned in New Haven, CT on charges of murder. Since Connecticut, being up north, there was a strong opposition to slavery and had worked to allow all African Americans after age 25 to be free after March 1, 1784. These are regular people who were taken by force out of their homeland, put in manacles, thrown on a boat to be sold s slaves. These people have the same natural rights that Americans are born with. The Amistad case made its way up to the Supreme Court where former president John Quincy Adams made his argument to free the prisoners. He states “. . . I derive, in the distress I feel both for myself and my clients, consolation from two sources- first, that the rights of my clients to their lives and liberties have already been defended by my learned friend and colleague in so able and complete a manner as leaves me scarcely anything to say, and I feel...
Words: 583 - Pages: 3
