Declaration of Independence in Congress, July 4, 1776 Thomas Jefferson

Background - Purpose Who are the potential audiences for this text? None of the claims presented here would have been a surprise to King George. The Declaration is far more about convincing Americans who were geographically removed from the conflict that they should be involved. America was divided into roughly on-third English loyalists, one-third rebellious colonists, and one-third apathetic settlers. Therefore, it is far more likely that this text was designed to garner support at home and with foreign countries.

Structure Where do the natural divisions fall in the Declaration? The first and second paragraph work together and are often referred to as the Preamble. Paragraphs three through thirty are the list of charges levied against King George. The next to last paragraph is an address to the British people, not just an explanation of all the colonists have already attempted to do to find a peaceful resolution. The final paragraph is the formal, legal declaration of independence.

Syntax – Parallel Structure Readers should notice the use of parallelism/ repetition during the list of charges, as well as a move away from paragraphing at the beginning and end of the Declaration to the almost bulleted list of the charges.

Rhetorical Appeals: Pathos, Logos, Ethos Readers should also observe the charged words, particularly noticeable in the middle section. Words like “refused,” “forbidden,” “uncomfortable,” “dissolved,” “obstructed,” “plundered,” (Jefferson) etc. are mostly intended to provoke anger in the readers, and subsequently provoking them to join the cause. The words/phrases in the Preamble and the conclusion of the Declaration appear to be more reasonable and rational.

Rhetorical Appeals: Pathos, Logos, Ethos Logos is shown when Jefferson writes, “He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us” (Jefferson). Pathos is shown when he writes, “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people” (Jefferson). Ethos can be seen in the second paragraph where Jefferson works to define the concept of “the consent of the governed” (Jefferson). He identifies the people as having the authority to speak on behalf of those “governed” (Jefferson).

Audience Phrases such as “a decent respect for the opinions of mankind” and “To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world” (Jefferson) are targeted toward an international audience, while more emotional passages are targeted toward the apathetic third of American colonists.

Read – Question #1 How do you define Jefferson’s phrase “Self evident”? Self-evident (Jefferson) can be defined as “obvious.” What does that suggest about Jefferson’s argumentative strategy? Jefferson is assuming that his audience thinks as he does, though this was anything but the case in 1776.

Read – Question #2 How does the arrangement of the Declaration help make a persuasive document? Jefferson’s arranges the Declaration in the following manner: definition/declaration, reasons for declaration, and a call to action. His clear-cut and logical appeal is written in the legalistic form of the day, sounding like he is presenting a brief before a courtroom or making a presentation before a governmental body.

Read – Question #3 Reading the Declaration, how might a citizen characterize the nation that is about to be brought into being? Readers may see the fledgling nation as highly oppressed, with few freedoms and little opportunity for individual governance.

Read – Question #4 How do you see Jefferson’s connection to the citizenry he speaks for? Jefferson is much more aristocratic than those for whom he speaks; however, he couches his argument in the guise a fellow citizen. He employs first person plural pronouns “we” and “us” (Jefferson) to make it appear that he is an everyman in this fight.

Write – Question #1 How would you characterize Jefferson’s persona in this document? Readers should see a contrast between the logical persona of the Preamble and the more aggressive persona that describes King George’s transgressions. Jefferson is portraying himself as a citizen with reasonable concerns about how he is being governed.

Write – Question #1 (cont’d) Find language or images and use them to help you describe the persona in the Declaration. “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” (Jefferson). “We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States…” (Jefferson).

Write – Question #2 Write about some of the examples that Jefferson uses to establish the rightness of his cause. Are they convincing? For example, “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people” (Jefferson). Or, “… the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within” (Jefferson). Or, “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance” (Jefferson).

Write – Question #2 (cont’d) “He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny…” (Jefferson). “He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguishable destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions” (Jefferson).

Connect – Question #1 What phrases in the first few paragraphs of the Declaration are most familiar to you today? “When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands…” (Jefferson). “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” (Jefferson).

Connect – Question #2 Comment on what familiar phrases mean in terms of today’s government and today’s citizens? How are meanings different? The Same? “All men are created equal” (Jefferson) particularly resonates in our democratic society of today. Jefferson may be surprised that this phrase resonates with a variety of groups today.