DOI/Enlightenment/Jefferson's Argument

Parts of DOI

  • pre-amble: sets idea for what will be talked about
    • cause and effect style
    • included a law case style too
  • main parts
  1. Natural rights

   

  1. rights everyone is born with
  2. life, liberty, happiness (actually property, but was changed to the pursuit of happiness)
  3. government should protect citizens’ rights
    1. British wrongs (grievances)

   

  1. King George III limited trade, sent troops, disbanded legislatures
    1. Independence

   

  1. colonies are now independent of Britain
  2. now called the United States of America

Main ideas

  • change government
  • will not be silenced
  • don’t have the same rights as an English citizen

Enlightenment

  • questioned everything (people used to use religion as evidence)
  • philosophy → Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
  • “Why is the king the king?" “because god said so” “but why?”
  • liberty and equality were natural human rights
  • influenced Thomas Jefferson’s thinking about slavery and freedom