L. White
English 102
April 27, 2015
Hypocrisy within the Declaration of Independence On July 4, 1776, the American Congress, which consisted of thirteen states, decided it was time to gain their independence from Great Britain by announcing their Declaration towards Independence. The famous document written by our founding fathers was “intended” to gain independence (for our country and all mankind), dismantle Great Britain’s power, liberate our country from all the usurpation activities, and to ultimately become the country that we are today. Throughout all the years of trials and tribulations our founding fathers endured. On the night of July 4, 1776, the stance towards American freedom was a success. If we fast forward to the 21st century we can see the proof within the lines of the Declaration. The ugly pixel in the bigger picture still remains. The Declaration of Independence is a representation of pure hypocrisy.
If the purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to enable all mankind with
Independence and righteous freedom from those who “repealed injuries and usurpation, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny” (Declaration of Independence). Why was Thomas Jefferson 's original passage attacking slavery left out of the document? Reasons to believe include the free labor and high capital provided by slaves outweighed the torture and cruelness towards slaves. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed be their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence). These words can be very misguiding. It states, that all of us are created equal and we all deserve certain rights for the simple sake of being human beings. So, why weren’t human slaves free? Better yet, why weren’t they entitled “unalienable rights” like the rest of the people living at the time?
Human slaves
Cited: Beeman, Richard R. "Waiting for King George III." Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Forging of American Independence, 1774-1776. New York: Basic, 2003. Print. Bigalke, Ron J., Jr. "Mercantilism." The Encyclopedia of Political Science. Ed. George Thomas Kurian. Vol. 3. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2011. 1022-1023. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 19 Apr. 2015 Thomas Jefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and other Writings, Official and Private (Washington, D.C.: Taylor & Maury, 1853-1854). Quinn, C. Edward. The Signers of the Declaration of Independence. 2nd Ed. The Bronx, N.Y. Bronx County Historical Society; 1988. Print.