Exam 4: From Colonies to States

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The argument for independence presented in the Declaration of Independence can be summarized as follows: The document asserts that all men are created equal and have certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It goes on to state that governments are instituted to secure these rights, and that when a government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and to institute a new government. The Declaration of Independence then lists a series of grievances against King George III and asserts that the colonies have the right to be independent states.

This argument for independence differed from earlier colonial arguments concerning the relationship between Britain and the colonies in several ways. Earlier arguments had focused on seeking greater autonomy and representation within the British government, rather than outright independence. The Declaration of Independence marked a shift towards a more radical and definitive break from British rule. Additionally, the Declaration of Independence explicitly laid out the philosophical and moral justification for independence, drawing on Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and the social contract, which had not been as prominent in earlier colonial arguments. Overall, the Declaration of Independence represented a more forceful and comprehensive case for independence than had been previously articulated by the colonies.