In 1776 a group of colonies was being transformed into a separate and independent nation by the reluctant hands of colonists who were tired of being ruled unfairly by a king thousands of miles away in a country almost one third of their size. Prominent revolutionary men realized that a document must be drafted to proclaim the freedom of these colonies from the British crown. On June 28, Thomas Jefferson presented The Declaration of Independence to Congress who approved it one week later. The Declaration of Independence has an effect not only on the thoughts and feelings of the colonists and the British but on their actions. It targeted colonists, calling them to join the revolution and sign up for the militia. It targeted other countries and tried to solicit help and alliances from them. It singled out the King as the reason for their split in efforts to turn British subjects against him. Most importantly, it proved to the British king and to the world that the colonies were no longer property of the British crown but a free and independent nation. .
Thomas Jefferson uses a clever choice of diction throughout the document. In the thesis he states, "it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands-. Using necessary gives the audience no choice but to join the revolution. He gives all men certain inalienable rights, which they can call their own because they were given these rights by their creator. Even if one doesn't believe in God, one must have a creator, which entitles one to these rights; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He states that it is the right of the people to remove any power, which tries to take away these rights. This legitimizes the revolution. In the antithesis portion of the document, or the grievances, he excludes parliament as a cause of these grievances by using the word others. By excluding parliament all the blame falls squarely on the king and hopefully influences the British people to closely inspect his rule over the colonies and even over themselves.
