A Nation Is Born

1
A Nation Is Born

• Jeffersons
• Declaration of Independence

2
Essential Questions

• Why is the Declaration an important document in
  American history? In American literature? In
  other cultures? In other contexts?
• Do you believe the Declaration is a successful
  document?

3
Top 10 Civil Liberties Violations That Helped
Cause the American Revolution

• 1. Taxation without representation
• 2. No free trade
• 3. Unlimited search and seizure
• 4. Destruction of colonial government
• 5. Oppression of political protesters
• 6. Immunity for corrupt and abusive British
  officers
• 7. Direct control of the criminal justice system
• 8. Guilty by Parliament
• 9. Forced quartering of soldiers
• 10. Closure of the Boston port

4
The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of
Independence

• Possibly the most masterfully written state paper
  of Western civilization
• Note its extraordinary merits as a work of
  political prose style
• Must pay attention to the sentence, phrase, word,
  and syllable to appreciate

5
Divide text into 5 sections

• The Introduction
• The Preamble
• The Indictment of George III
• The Denunciation of the British People
• The Conclusion

6
Lets look at it carefully . . .

• The Declaration of Independence is one of our
  nation's most important founding documents,
  expressing the basic purposes of self-government,
  limited constitutionalism, and what it means to
  be an American.  Below one can read the original
  text, as well as consult three annotated versions
  explaining the Declaration's basic principles,
  its historical context, and a glossary of terms. 
• http//www.founding.com/the_declaration_of_i/

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The Introduction

• The first paragraph
• A single, lengthy, periodic sentence
• Taken out of context, it could be used as an
  intro to a declaration by any oppressed people
• But . . . Look for its subtlety, nuance, and
  implications

8
More on Intro

• Sets American Revolution within whole course of
  human events
• Favorable view of America
• Prepares for rest of Declaration

9
Not just a petty quarrel?

• Elevates quarrel with England from a petty
  political dispute to a major event in the grand
  sweep of history
• Dignifies the Revolution as a contest of
  principle
• Implies that the American cause has a special
  claim to moral legitimacy

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Most important word in Intro

• NECESSARY
• Implies impelled by fate or determined by
  inextricable natural laws
• Beyond the control of human agents
• Not preferable, defensible, or justifiable
  instead, it was inescapable, inevitable,
  unavoidable

11
Gulf Between Britain and America

• Americans one people British another
• Gulf was political, intellectual, social, moral,
  cultural
• Could no more be repaired

12
Next section The Preamble

• Outlines a general philosophy of government that
  makes revolution justifiable, even meritorious
• Style is brief, free of verbiage, model of clear,
  concise, simple language
• 5 sentences 202 words
• Not one word can be moved or replaced without
  disrupting the balance and harmony of the entire
  preamble

13
Style Periodique

• Sentences are composed of several members linked
  together, and hanging upon one another, so that
  the sense of the whole is not brought out till
  the close
• -- Hugh Blair,
• Lectures on Rhetoric

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Jefferson Student of Rhetorical Theory

• Well-versed in classical oratory and rhetorical
  theory
• Diligent master of rhythm, accent, timing, and
  cadence in discourse
• Composed for the ear as well as for the eye

15
Structural Unity in Preamble

• Reader is moved from creation of mankind, to
  institution of government, to throwing off of
  government when it fails, to creation of new
  government.
• First act implicitly set in Garden of Eden (where
  man was created equal)
• May imply mythic overtones of humanitys fall
  from divine grace
• Again, major development in the course of human
  events

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Five Propositions

1. All men are created equal
2. They are endowed by their creator with certain
   inalienable rights
3. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
   happiness
4. To secure these rights, governments are
   instituted
5. Whenever any form of government becomes
   destructive of these ends, it is the right of the
   people to alter or abolish it

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Rhetorical Purpose of Propositions

• First 3 lead into 4th, which in turn leads into
  the 5th
• It is the 5th that is the most crucial in the
  overall argument of the Declaration
• First 4 are preliminary steps designed to give
  philosophical grounding

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Preamble Syllogism

• Major premise When government deliberately
  seeks to reduce the people under absolute
  despotism, the people have a right, indeed a
  duty, to alter or abolish that form of government
  and to create new guards for their future
  security.
• Minor premise The government of Great Britain
  has deliberately sought to reduce the American
  people under absolute despotism
• Conclusion Therefore, the American people have
  a right, indeed a duty, to abolish their present
  form of government and to create new guards for
  their security.

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What was the key premise?

• The minor premise . . .
• Crucial question in July 1776 was whether the
  necessary conditions for revolution existed in
  the colonies.
• Look for a transitional sentence that introduces
  the indictment of George III

20
Transition to Indictment

• Such has been the patient sufferance of these
  Colonies and such is now the necessity which
  constrains them to alter their former Systems of
  Government.
• 273 words into the Declaration appears the first
  EXPLICIT reference to the British-American
  conflict
• Look at parallel structure of the sentence

21
Legal Accusation of King

• The history of the present King of Great Britain
  is a history of repeated injuries and
  usurpations, all having in direct object the
  establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these
  states.

22
To prove this, let Facts be submitted

• Pivotal word is facts
• Sentence is almost innocuous
• Prove to whom?
• Implication is that if readers are fair,
  impartial, and just, they will see tyranny of
  King if they cant see, then it is because they
  are not candid, but facts are still facts.

23
Four Groups of Charges

• 1-12 Abuses of Kings executive power
• 13-22 Attacks King for combining with others
  to subject America to unconstitutional measures
• 23-27 Assails Kings violence and cruelty in
  waging war against his American subjects
• Final charge The colonists repeated requests
  for redress of their grievances have produced
  only repeated injury

24
Style of Grievances

• Not arranged chronologically, as had been in
  previous petitions
• Arranged topically (referred to by Samuel Adams
  as the Catalogue of Crimes)
• Listed seriatim, in 16 successive sentences
  beginning He has or He is.
• Form and content reinforce one another to magnify
  the treachery of the King

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Consider Jeffersons Verbs

• First 22 grievances Describe Kings acts with
  such temperate verbs as refused, called
  together, dissolved, endeavored, made,
  erected, kept, and affected
• War grievances Use emotionally charged verbs
  such as plundered, ravaged, burnt, and
  destroyed

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Why Such Harsh Language?

• Could have been a rhetorical strategy designed to
  solidify support for independence in those parts
  of America that had yet to suffer the physical
  and economic hardships of war.
• As late as May 1776, independence had strong
  support in New England and the South, but was
  less secure in the middle colonies.
• Thomas Paine would bring the evil home by helping
  readers of Common Sense identify with the
  horror of war.

27
Declaration Notes that Colonies Had Appealed in
Vain to People of Great Britain

• One of most artfully written sections of
  Declaration
• Shifts attention away from George to British
  brethren
• 4 clauses beginning with We have . . . give
  sense of momentum while underlining colonists
  efforts to reach British people

28
They too have been deaf

• This sentence, very simple and brief, contrasts
  with the greater length and complexity of
  preceding sentences.
• Acquires added force with its simplicity

29
Final Sentence of Section Chiasmus

• Favorite rhetorical device of
• 18th c. writers
• Enemies in War, in Peace Friends

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All That Remains Is to Conclude

• Final section is highly formulaic
• Attracts attention primarily because of its
  closing sentence And for the support of this
  Declaration, with a firm reliance on the
  protection of divine Providence, we mutually
  pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and
  our sacred Honor.

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Eloquent Trilogy of the Closing

• Our sacred Honor Our Lives Our Fortunes
• Concept of honor exerted powerful hold on
• 18th c. mind
• Philosophers, preachers, politicians,
  playwrights, poets all speculated about honor and
  how to achieve it
• Better to die ten thousand deaths/Than wound my
  honour (Joseph Addison)

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Pledging Honor

• By pledging our sacred Honor in support of the
  Declaration, Congress made a particularly solemn
  vow.
• Also conveyed message that revolutionaries were
  men of honor who would deserve the approval of
  posterity

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Work Cited

• Lucas, Stephen E. The Stylistic Artistry of the
  Declaration of Independence. The U.S. National
  Archives Records Administration. 4 Sept. 2008
  lthttp//www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declara
  tion_style.html.