225 years ago, a foundation was laid for what is now our current way of life. Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence represented very general truths: That there is equality among men, who behold certain unalienable rights. Through these, they are forever allowed to partake in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Jefferson claimed that the colonists were being deprived of these rights by King George III, where as he made several accusations. In 1776, the grievances mentioned were essential, however it was the general truths that maintained a lasting impression.
When the Declaration of Independence was originally manifested, the Continental Congress" main focus was to break free from British rule. In order to persuade those opposed to this, Jefferson composed several accusations against King George III. Jefferson used these grievances as evidence for his premise of "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights." He wanted to evince the fact that King George and the Crown had certainly violated these rights, by establishing an absolute tyranny over the colonies. Julia Vitillo-Martin, author of, "Taxation was not the Only Spark Back in 1776," writes that, "The Crown and its officers had presumed to house militia in private homes, search those homes for contraband at will and imprison those who criticized either the Crown or its policies." Jefferson needed to remind the colonies and show the world the abuse they had received. Therefore, the grievances disclosed were completely inherent during that era. As time has passed however, these lists of accusations have slowly lost their value. Recent generations have come to better respond to what they can relate to. Because Americans have lived in a democracy for over two centuries, we've long since forgotten the oppression bestowed upon our earliest settlers. While in 1776 it was essential to document these accusations, through time, their importance has waned.