Question

1. What was Jefferson's purpose in writing the Declaration?
2. The second paragraph begins with "We hold these truths to be self-evident..." What are those truths?
3. The Declaration includes a long list of grievances against King George III as reasons for separation. What is
the main topic of discussion in the first six grievances?
4. What is the purpose of the last paragraph of the Declaration?
5. What are some of the new nation's powers as defined in the last paragraph?

Answer 1

@CamoGirl608

Answer 2

1 ~ is justify the action of Congress by blaming the rupture on George III.

Answer 3

2 ~ should be something like this! The writers of the Declaration are claiming that "all men are created equal" and "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." When the term "self-evident" is used, it means that the human rights require no defense because their virtue is unquestionable.

Answer 4

3 ~ Have you actually LOOKED at the Declaration and tried to see what these six grievances have in common?
They all have to do with laws. They are accusing King George III of ignoring laws, and the rule of law. They accuse him of ruling like a dictator, like a sovereign, and ignoring the established 'rule of law', just making up laws as he goes along.
I'm sure you've heard the saying 'We are a nation of laws, not of men'. This means that leaders, even popular, elected leaders, are not allowed to just do whatever the hell they want, whatever seems right to them at the time. They must act in accordance with laws, or change the laws in a legitimate way.
This principle is actually older than the Declaration of Independence. But the time of the D of I, Britain claimed to have a constitutional monarchy, meaning the king was not the unquestioned boss, he was there to maintain law, to work for The People, within a constitutional framework. The grievances in the Declaration of Independence list examples where the colonists believed the king had flouted laws and constitutional principles (The English constitution. Of course ours didn't exist yet.)

Answer 5

4~ Well, it asserts that the 13 then-colonies regard themselves as independent states and bear no allegiance to the British Crown ("that these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain"). Kind of summarizes the Declaration of Independence.

Answer 6

5~ It says "We're an independent country. We aren't part of Britain anymore."