Declaration of Independence Response

The Declaration of Independence is one of the corner stones of our nation and a crucial part of our past. When reading this short piece of literature it is hard to imagine the importance of the document as well as the pressure on the author. Unlike some pointless high school essay, the Declaration of Independence had to justify the birth of a new nation. 233 years later it is obvious that Jefferson’s words did the trick, and as I read over this historic piece again I am struck by its effectiveness. Similar to the papers we have written in class, the Declaration of Independence has persuasive aspects to it. The first two paragraphs are eloquently written and appeal to the emotions of any reader. The second paragraph also has a counter argument in it, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes…” This counter argument, like all effective persuasive pieces, is addressed and laid to rest. Jefferson then goes on to list the wrong doings of the King. This portion seems repetitive at first but as we look back in history we can see that these repetitive paragraphs are justifying independence. When Thomas Jefferson sat down to write this piece it is clear he was writing a declaration. But the effectiveness of the declaration makes it extremely persuasive. I can imagine the King of Britain reading this and saying, he’s got a point.

By Daniel Sapiro