English 11 / Unit 1: Early American Voices
1.6 The Declaration of Independence
Notes
Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was written mainly by Thomas Jefferson and explains why the colonies were separating from Britain.
- Structure: a preamble (principles), a long list of grievances against King George III, and a conclusion declaring independence.
- Key idea, drawn from the philosopher John Locke: people have natural rights, including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," and governments get their power from the consent of the governed.
- It uses parallel structure, repeating "He has..." to pile up charges against the king.
- Opening line of the famous passage: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
- Worked example: the repeated "He has" is anaphora, repeating words at the start of successive sentences to build force.
Practice
According to the Declaration, where does a government get its just power?
Jefferson wrote that governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed."
What is the purpose of the long list of grievances?
The list serves as evidence that separation was necessary.
Repeating "He has..." at the start of many sentences is an example of:
Anaphora is repetition at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses.
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