Tuesday, April 7, 2020

The Declaration of Independence Part 2: "We hold these truths to be self-evident"

The Preamble of the Declaration of Independence explains why the Declaration was written. You can read more in Part 1 located here.

The second part of the Declaration lays out human rights that are given to all people by their Creator, and because they are given by God, no government can take them away. You will see a similar argument in the Bill of Rights, which were written to limit governments' ability to infringe upon God-given rights. 


Here is the statement of the human rights portion of the Declaration of Independence broken down into smaller sections.
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.
history.com
Under the rule of King George, not all men were created equal. The royal hierarchy allowed for absolute tyranny from the top, with no rights, not even simple human rights being available to the normal person. The three basic human rights given to all people are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are given by God, and unable to be detached from a single person. Now, it's important to understand that this extends only to "men" and specifically, only white men. This is simply a product of the times. 

***Fun Fact: The Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton at the Seneca Falls Convention, held to bring attention to women's rights follows the same format at the Declaration of Independence and states:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal..."
Back to the 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, 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. 
This section states that governments are created among men (not God), and therefore their power to govern is given to them by the people they govern, not God. It then says that when a government fails to meet that standard, it is the right of the people to change or get rid of it and form a new government that does. It is important to note two things. First, we start to see the language of, "The People" which we will see are the first three words of the constitution. It is also important to note in he last sentence that the government is there for the safety and the happiness of the people in which it represents. Exactly the OPPOSITE of what King George was doing!
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. 
Governments shouldn't be easy to change, and they shouldn't be changed for short-lived issues. The last part of the sentence makes the point that people can put up with suffering, it is also a person's right to get rid of that suffering.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--
King Geoge III
biography.com
This is the transition. Before this sentence, the document is set up to hammer the leadership style (Tyrant!) of King George III which will be the next major part of this Declaration. 

The "long train of abuses" will be discussed in Part 3 of this Declaration series, but there is a laundry list of things that King George was imposing on the colonies under absolute despotism or his excess of absolute power. Not just absolute power, but power cruelly and oppressively. 

When this happens, it is not just the right of the people, but they MUST get rid of that government! It is then their job to build a new government that will look out for their future.
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
The Colonies have been patient. They have tried to get along with the King. They have sent several petitions to the king, the last being the Olive Branch Petition, asking, in fact begging the King to stop his oppressive rule over them.

But, he didn't stop. In fact, he labeled those who sent the Olive Branch Petition as traitors. So the "history" of King George III was that of being a tyrant. But the Declaration doesn't just state that fact, it goes on to list that "long train of abuses" and the cruel and absolute power he was practicing over the citizens of the Colonies.

To learn about all the ways that King George III, Check back for "Part 3: Charges Against the King."


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Here is a link to the Declaration of Independence so you can read it yourself:
Declaration of Independence




Post your comments below. What do you think about the second part of the Declaration of Independence?



Resources:


Hart, D., Bower, B., & Lobdell, J. (2002). History alive. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute.

7 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I'm not sure, but he seemed to want power and money. He tried to accomplish both of these at once with crushing taxes on the colonies without giving them any say in what happened to them.

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  2. How long was king George the 3 in rule for

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  3. I though that it was interesting that King George lll was in the rule for 60 years!

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  4. King George was a ruler for 60 years

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  5. This section states that governments are created among men (not God), and therefore their power to govern is given to them by the people they govern, not God.

    ReplyDelete