Green 1

Nathan Green
Mrs. Buescher
U.S. Government/ Period 1
September 24, 2014
Declaration of Independence Essay
On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies gave the Declaration of Independence to the King
of England as a demand for freedom. Section two of the Declaration states that all people are
equal, to secure the rights to the government among men, right of the people to alter and to
institute a new government, and government long established should not be changed for light and
transient causes. The United States has moved closer to the Declaration in three specific areas:
the Declaration states that all people are equal; to secure the rights to the government among
men, and the government long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.
The second section of the Declaration begins with We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal. Abraham Lincoln refers in his speech, The Gettysburg
Address, to the Declaration of Independence, All men are created equal. Lincoln was trying to
encourage those who were fighting against slavery by reminding them about what the founders
of the country wanted in the beginning. Lincoln felt the Civil War would test whether or not the
principles of the Declaration would survive. Bill Clinton states, It turns out that advancing equal
opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because
discrimination, poverty and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education,
infrastructure and scientific and technological research increase it, creating more good jobs and

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new wealth for all of us. He uses this statement because he is trying to make a point that
equality is important. Equal opportunity improves circumstances for everyone but discrimination
only brings everyone down. J.C. Watts states, When it comes to the American dream, no one
has a corner on the market. All of us have an equal chance to share in that dream. The
American dream itself has no real definition; it is personal to each and every individual. Every
person can make it to their desires. Equality is not the only subject to speak about but, the rights
of men.
To secure the rights to the government among is the second subject spoken in this essay.
Lincoln notes the importance of democracy by stating in the Gettysburg Address, Government
of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. This states the
government was created by and for the citizens. This was such an important cause that he
encourages the soldiers to continue fighting for it. Abraham Lincoln states, America will never
be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed
ourselves. We need to stay united and involved in our government. Being involved by voting,
activism, and community involvement. Franklin Roosevelts statement, Let us never forget that
government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy
are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this
country. sums up so well the intent of the Declaration of Independence. The people must take a
vigorous role in the development and monitoring of our government. We cannot be passive
observers, but active participants. By being involved in the government, the people have an
opportunity to evaluate established laws and advocate for new ones.
Lastly, the government long established should not be changed for light and transient
causes is the final point. Former President James Madison is quoted as saying, The people are

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the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under
which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived. What Madison stated is
that the separation of powers doesnt give the ability to the government to make random law or
laws whenever they please. The three branches keep each branch from overpowering each other.
Robert F. Kennedy summed it up when he said, The problem of power is how to achieve its
responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use of how to get men of power to
live for the public rather than of the public. Basically, the intent of the Declaration of
Independence was that laws established by the government should be respected and not taken
lightly or frivolously, but at the same time developed at the will and need of the people and not
one or a small group of people considered to be powerful. Changes in these laws should be
carefully considered and not made in haste or at the discretion of an individual. The importance
of the involvement of the people in government was noted by Dwight D. Eisenhower when he
said, Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights
and privileges of free men. He was reiterating what our Founding Fathers knew all those years
ago, that a successful government must be created and monitored by the people who fall under
that government. It is every citizens responsibility to do so not only for themselves, but for
others. This is the only way to ensure continuing freedom and equality for all. These three things
are what make America closer to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration states that all the people are equal; to secure the rights to the government
among men, and the government long established should not be changed for light and transient
causes is what has made the United States closer to the Declaration of Independence.