The Declaration of Independence formally declared the independence of the 13 American colonies from British rule. It outlined a theory of good government in which people have inherent rights that governments are formed to protect. It listed 27 grievances against King George III showing how the British government violated this theory. Finally, it asserted the sovereignty of the new United States and their determination to defend their independence.

1. The Revolutionary
Period:
The Age of Reason

2. The 13 Colonies

3. • Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally. It includes the
ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.
• Someone with critical thinking skills is able to do the following:
• Understand the logical connections between ideas
• Identify, construct and evaluate arguments
• Detect inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning
• Solve problems systematically
• Reflect on the justifications of one’s own beliefs and values

4. The Age of Reason in America
• Rationalism is the belief that we can arrive at truth by using our reason.
• Remember the definition of reason…
• The ability to think in an ordered, logical way.
“I think. therefore I am” -Descartes

5. Puritanism vs. Rationalism
Puritanism Rationalism
• Strong desire for freedom of
• Sin to speak out speech
against • Freedom to experiment, question
Theocracy laws and institutions
• The common good was more
important than individual concerns

6. Puritanism vs. Rationalism
(writing and literature)
Puritanism Rationalism
• Religious subjects – • Writing based on
concerned with the science, ethics, government, h
afterlife appenings; social and political
improvements
• Clarity, order, and balance is
desired

7. American Literature in the Age of Reason
• Most of literature is rooted in reality rather than imagination
• Imagination had to be restrained by reason and common sense
• Best minds are concentrating on social, political, and scientific
improvements.

8. The most common types of literature:
• Pamphlets
• Speeches
• Essays
• Letters
• Some poems and ballads (but are used to urge Americans into political
action)

9. Prominent Writers
• Benjamin Franklin – “Sayings of Poor Richard”
• Patrick Henry – “Speech at the Virginia Convention”
• Thomas Paine – “Common Sense”
• Thomas Jefferson - “The Declaration of Independence”

10. The Declaration of
Independence
Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1776

11. ORIGIN OF THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
During June and July of 1776, the main question facing the Second Continental
Congress at Philadelphia revolved around independence: should the American
colonies represented at this Congress declare their separation and freedom
from the United Kingdom of Great Britain? After intense debate, the delegates
voted on July 2, 1776 in favor of Richard Henry Lee's resolution for
independence. On July 4, the Congress discussed and approved, with a few
changes, the formal Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson
on behalf of a five-person committee appointed by Congress (Maier 1997;
McClellan 1989).

12. Structure and Key Ideas
• The first part is an introduction that states the purpose of the
document, which was to explain why the American people were declaring
independence from the government of Great Britain.

13. Structure and Key Ideas
The second part is a theory of good government and individual rights generally
accepted by Americans from the 1770s until today. In this theory, all individuals are
equal in their possession of certain immutable rights. These rights are not granted by
the government. Rather, they are inherent to human nature. Therefore, the first purpose
of a good government is to secure or protect these rights. Further, a good government
is based on the consent of the governed -- the people -- who are the sole source of the
government's authority. If their government persistently violates this theory of good
government, then the people have the right to overthrow it.

14. Structure and Key Ideas
The third part of the document is a list of grievances against King George
III, who was singled out to represent the actions of the British government.
These grievances are examples of actions that violated the criteria for good
government stated in the second part of the Declaration of Independence.
These grievances, therefore, justify separation from the King's bad government
and establishment of a good government to replace it.

15. Structure and Key Ideas
The fourth and final part of the document is an unqualified
assertion of sovereignty by the United States of America. It
proclaims the determination of Americans to defend and maintain
their independence and rights.

16. Background
• With the American colonies already at war with Great Britain, the second
Continental Congress felt the need to declare their independence formally. A
committee was appointed to prepare a document, and Thomas Jefferson
wrote a first draft. After minor revisions, the draft was accepted by the
committee and officially approved by the congress on July 4, 1776.

17. Purpose
• The Declaration of Independence, completed and signed in July of
1776, marked the official separation between the 13 colonies and Great
Britain. An armed struggle between the colonies and Britain had begun just
over a year before, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

18. • Prior to the French and Indian war, the colonists had enjoyed over a hundred
years of "salutary neglect." In other words, although laws were in place to
maintain the subordinate status of the colonies to Great Britain, they were
usually not enforced.

19. • Colonists initially protested these acts through peaceful means such as
petition, boycott, and committees. They argued that since they had no
representation in Parliament, they could not be rightfully taxed by
Parliament.

20. • The job of drafting the Declaration of Independence fell to the youngest
member of the committee, Thomas Jefferson. In composing the
declaration, Jefferson drew on ideas from the Enlightenment, especially
those of John Locke. Not only did the declaration represent a milestone in
the history of the United States, it also turned the political philosophies of
18th century Europe into real political practice.

21. Preamble
• Government exist to support the rights of men. Government exist only
through the power of the people that they represent. When a government
fails to grant rights to the people and removes the involvement of the
people, the people have the right to change their government in a way that
will allow for their unalienable rights to be protected.

22. List of abuses and usurpations
• The colonies have suffered 27 at the hands of the King George III. Each of
these abuses has been directed at the colonies for the purpose of establishing
a tyrannical government in North America.

23. • The first 12 abuses involve King George III’s establishment of a tyrannical
authority in place of representative government.

24. • Abuses 13 through 22 describe the involvement of parliament in destroying
the colonists' right to self-rule. The king has "combined with others" to
subject the colonists to legislation passed without colonial input or consent.

25. • The last 5 abuses, 23 through 27, refer to specific actions that the King of
Great Britain took to abandon the colonies and to wage war against them.
The King has attempted to suppress the colonial rebellion through violence
and military means.

26. Past actions of colonists
• Up until this declaration, colonists have used non-violent means, such as
petitions, to protest the abuses of King George III. Each attempt to request
peaceful negotiations was met by neglect and more abuse.
• Additionally, colonists tried to appeal to Parliament and other British citizens for
help. These attempts were ignored. Colonists appealed to British citizens' sense of
justice, to their shared heritage and culture, and to their economic connection.
These attempts failed, however, and the colonies have no other choice but to
declare separation. In doing so, the new separate nation will view British citizens as
enemies during wartime, and as friends in peacetime.

27. Conclusion and definition of a new
government
• The Second Continental Congress represents the people of the new nation
called the United States of America. This declaration informs all the people
of the world that the 13 united colonies are free from British rule and any
political connections with Great Britain. The declaration also serves to
appeal to the people of the world to understand the reasons why this
separation is justifiable.

28. References:
• http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/declaration/