(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

"Declaration of Independence: A Contradiction"

            Thomas Jefferson and several other significant individuals were the architects for clearly one of the most important documents in our countries history. They constructed and carefully crafted a document with such power to invoke a war against England. But in the process of writing the Declaration on Independence the founding fathers made undeniable contradictions and created a double standard in the process of liberating America. Double standards are something that has become engraved into our society. But the double standard set when writing the Declaration of Independence, is one that is more prominent and affected African American slaves greatly. In the Declaration of Independence it stated, "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- But, "all" men did not apply to African Americans specifically slaves. Slaves were still held unwillingly and forced to work under harsh treatment from theirs masters. And this exclusion of slaves was purposely done to better such things as the economy of the country, and the perception of slaves and women and Native Americans. Our founding fathers made this obvious contradiction, but it was not justified and was not morally right. .
             A main reason that Thomas Jefferson made this distinct contradiction was because Jefferson owned over 200 slaves of his own. Jefferson did not hold high regards to slaves or African Americans for that matter. Jefferson like most Americans at the time .
             2.
             thought of slaves as just property. The slaves were viewed as something similar to cattle of livestock. Slaves being brought into the country would provide a steady source of cheap and efficient labor.


Essays Related to "Declaration of Independence: A Contradiction"

1. The Declaration of Sentiments

The authors parallel the Declaration of Independence due to its call for equality. ... These rights are drawn from the Declaration of Independence, and the government has to respect them and ensure that all citizens access them. ... Further, they feel that the state has interfered with women's right to happiness and safety, which is a contradiction of the Declaration of Independence. Therefore, their decision to air their sentiments was a way of urging the government to implement the Declaration of Independence without gender discrimination. ... Since the government had turned a blind ey...

  • Word Count: 507
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Equality and Liberty in American Society

The statement "All men are created equal" which can be found in The Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson was all about America's freedom and rights from the hands of the King of Great Britain. ... However The Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, added to Jefferson's statement in contradiction that "both men and women are created equal". ... In The Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson, he demanded the freedom of all men but blacks and women were excluded. ... Thomas Jefferson demanded in "The Declar...

  • Word Count: 944
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. Critique of: ""Value Consensus" in Democracy: The Issue in

Most importantly this article attempts to make distinctions and connections between how the candidates viewed slavery in relationship to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. ... Jaffa's discussion on Lincoln's ability to use the Declaration of Independence, especially the equality of human rights, to justify the wrongs of slavery is the focus of the latter portion of the article. Here Jaffa is able to use historical evidence to prove Lincoln's arguments over those of Douglas; Jaffa especially does an admirable job in showing the contradictions in Douglas'...

  • Word Count: 381
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Paulo Freire and Plato

Freire discusses a debate over the results of a man or woman learning the contradictions of life might lead them to a "total collapse of their world". ... Abraham Lincoln believed that the Declaration of Independence was the "apple of gold", and the constitution was the "picture of silver" wrapped around the apple. ... The Declaration of Independence also declared that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were unalienable rights endowed upon is by our Creator. ... If men are born equal, as it says in the Declaration of Independence, than they should be treated equal, as it says in the...

  • Word Count: 1106
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Common Sense - The Influence of Thomas Paine

Paine states that the British system is too complex and has many contradictions, and the monarchy has too much power. ... Paine fights that it would be best to get independence now before more problems come up. ... Paine believed that because of all these reasons it is important that America declares independence. ... Paine fights for America's independence. ... This book was published 6 months before the Declaration of Independence was signed and I'm sure it had a major impact of the declaration....

  • Word Count: 1116
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Jacksonians

F) are examples of declarations for state rights that Jackson would have opposed. ... A prime example of contradiction of beliefs is the Trail of Tears. ... Because the Jacksonian Democrats gave the common man a false sense of power and a right to economic opportunity, the working class felt that it had a voice to speak out against any abuses of their rights as stated in "The Working Men's Declaration of Independence" (Doc. ...

  • Word Count: 819
  • Approx Pages: 3

7. Early American Literature Review

I really enjoyed reading "The Declaration and Letters" it was very intriguing to read these old documents. Right from the beginning, the strengths and shortcoming of the Declaration of Independence can be seen almost instantly. ... For instance the Government is trying giving people their natural born rights and not dictating what rights they are given like in a traditional monarchy, hence why the Declaration was written in the first place. ... During the time when the Declaration was written with the intention of having "all men created equal" the founding fathers ignor...

  • Word Count: 1093
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Religious Liberty in America

Pennsylvania and New York, at the time of Independence, both lacked established churches, whereas Virginia had an established church. ... Section 16 of the Virginia Declaration of Rights stated, "all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience." Though the declaration also describes a "mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity toward each other," the very language of the 1776 document is important. ... Public opinion may have mostly leaned toward religious liberty, but the opinions of important men of politics...

  • Word Count: 3342
  • Approx Pages: 13
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Abraham Lincoln - Slavery and Race

These contradictions would be involved in Lincoln's evolving thoughts on how to come about stopping the expansion of the slavery in America as he thought them to be created equal, citing the Declaration of Independence, but thought it unrealistic as even opponents of slavery in the North were absolutely opposed to a full integration of freed slaves, or viewed integration, at least, quite skeptically. ... I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world – enables the enemies of free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites &nda...

  • Word Count: 2007
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: Graduate

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question