Comparison Of Declaration Of Independence Drafts Essays Example

The primary difference between the two draft and ratified versions of the Declaration of Independence is the brevity of the ratified version. The ratified version is concise, brief and to the point as opposed to the draft that tended to expound on particular statements. The draft version of the Declaration was lengthier in an attempt to convey the grievances that formed the basis of the push for independence. For example, statements such as “sacred and undeniable” are replaced with the word “self-evident”, “by a power self-assumed” is removed and “totally to cease in some of these colonies” is replaced by “by” among others. It is evident that the removal of such terms was to eliminate ambiguity and unnecessary words. In addition, the ratified version focused more on the rule of law and representation of people and the King’s disruption of the process. This was done through the addition of statements such as “without the explicit consent of the States legislatures” when they were highlighting the standing armies maintained by the King. The addition of the particular complaint of the king abolishing a free system of English laws and imposing an arbitrary government is used as an example of how the King had failed to uphold the rule of law in their cases. Finally, the addition of the statement “abolishing our most valuable laws” depicts clearly how the ratified version emphasized on the King’s disregard for the rule of law.
The implications of the two highlighted differences between the draft and ratified version of Declaration of Independence included a clearer and more concise version of the declaration and set the pace for the implementation of a democratic rule of governance in the United States. The ratified version lack of ambiguous statements meant that its message was clear and therefore unlikely to be misconstrued. On the other hand, an emphasis on the rule of law and disregard of the legislature in the Declaration of Independence meant that one of the fundamental claims for independence was a democracy and the rule of law; this ensured that the young country applied them in its constitution.