Revolutionary documents are documents that talk about the colonies of American in which the fight for their independence through and to the end of American Revolution. Some of the documents are recorded in The Declaration of independence by Thomas Jefferson and common sense which is a pamphlet by Thomas Paine. The aim of Thomas Jefferson’s document was to give reasons as to why the American colonies overthrew their leader and decided to obtain their position as a country separated from the world. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, common sense aimed to know the theoretical intellect of the state then proceeds with the situation of the colonies.
In 1776, Thomas Jefferson drafted the declaration of independence that becomes a significant moment in his life. Regardless of his wish to go back to Virginia to assist in the drafting of the country’s constitution a continental congress selected him to a committee of five persons to draft the independence declaration. Then, the group later assigned him the duty of making a plan of the document and put it up for consideration (Willis, 2002). The statement opens with an introduction unfolding the document's need in clearing up American colonies that overthrew their leader and opted to take a position that separates them from the world. Everyone is created the same, and some unalienable rights should not be violated by the government. They include right to liberty, life and to pursue happiness. If the government does not guard these rights, people have a right and obligation to overthrow it (Willis, 2002). Hence, people should found a government aiming to guard these rights. Governments are hardly ever overthrown; hence it ought not to be overthrown for insignificant reasons. Hence, an extensive history of abuses has led colonists to overthrow dictatorial governments.
George III the Great Britain king is accountable of 27 particular abuses. He interfered with the right to a just judicial system and self-government. Acting with the congress, he also instituted laws that affected colonies without their approval. These laws imposed taxes on colonists. It needed them to divide British military, uninvolved their right to be tried by a jury and stopped them from freely trading. Moreover, the congress and King are responsible for absolutely damaging the American life together with their property by denying to guard the borders of the colonies, confiscating the ships of Americans at sea and their aim to employ foreign mercenaries that fought the colonists.
The independence declaration is significant it motivated a lot of revolutionary efforts around the world and brought about the understanding standards as a new country. The introduction named the preamble to independence declaration is significant since it establishes links involving idealistic theory and sensible politics expressing the important values of American government and in turn appeals to the rest of the countries to acknowledge the new state. The preface relies on a lot on the idealistic and political thoughts during the 18th century of the enlightenment period in Europe incorporating the thoughts of Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. The latter thought that people have a right to have their life, well-being; freedom and belongings protected.
Thomas Jefferson slightly changed it after he claimed that the rights included freedom life and to pursue happiness. Locke robustly disparate the great kings’ rights which stated that kings had total power since God placed them on the throne and argued that authority of making laws rested on people and that they have the right to approve to their regime. Jefferson incorporated the conjecture when he stated “to safeguard these civil liberties; governments are established among people obtaining their fair powers from the governed approval.” His declaration assisted to put john’s philosophies in the area of real-world political affairs. Many revolutions that happened subsequent to the American Revolution specified his independence declaration as a good reason of overthrowing a fraudulent and tyrannical power (Humphrey, 2003).
In Thomas Paine’s common sense, he argues for independence of America. His dispute starts with broader, hypothetical reflections concerning the religion and the government then proceeds on the particulars of the situation of the colony (Paine, 2014). He starts by differentiating between the society and the government. According to him, a society is all that is productive and great, and people can join to gain. On the other hand, the government is an establishment whose main goal is to safeguard people from their evils. It originated from man’s evil, and it is for that reason an essential wickedness at best. He says that the key goal of the government is to safeguard life, property and liberty, and government ought to be judged mainly on the level to which the goal is accomplished (Paine, 2014).
He then considers a probable situation where a small number of people have been positioned on the island and separated from the society. As time goes by, this people will develop a connection with each other and hence making laws becomes unavoidable. He says that they will be happier if the creation of laws that will rule them will be their responsibility. He utterly argues that such a structure of representation is better for colonists of America. Having uttered his disparity the reign of the British in America, he progresses to initiate a general hit on the system of government in Britain. He says that the system of Britain is very difficult and full of contradictions, and the realm is given much power. Paine then explains the reasons why it is currently a good time to separate from Britain. He argues that due to its small size it is difficult for America to be unified at this moment (Paine, 2014).
In conclusion, America as Britain’s colony lacks decency on the global scene. Thomas Paine says that they are purely seen as rebels and hence they have an inability to form significant alliances with the rest of the nations. For it to flourish, its colonies need to be independent eventually. Paine then says by declaration of independence; it will be easy for America to request for assistance from other countries to struggle for its freedom. The declaration of independence by Thomas Jefferson and common sense by Thomas Paine are associated with despotism, economics, enlightenment, and mercantilism which makes them both relevant today.
References
Wills, G. (2002). Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Paine, T. (2014). Common sense. New York: Penguin Books.
Humphrey, C. S. (2003). The Revolutionary era: Primary documents on events from 1776 to 1800. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.
Humphrey, C. S. (2011). Voices of revolutionary America: Contemporary accounts of daily life. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood.
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