Declaration of Independence - 9744 Words

National Archives and Records Administration -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence by Stephen E. Lucas The Declaration of Independence is perhaps the most masterfully written state paper of Western civilization. As Moses Coit Tyler noted almost a century ago, no assessment of it can be complete without taking into account its extraordinary merits as a work of political prose style. Although many scholars have recognized those merits, there are surprisingly few sustained studies of the stylistic artistry of the Declaration.(1) This essay seeks to illuminate that artistry by probing the discourse microscopically--at the level of†¦show more content†¦When, a year later, Congress decided the colonies could no longer retain their liberty within the British empire, it adhered to long-established rhetorical convention by describing independence as a matter of absolute and inescapable necessity.(6) Indeed, the notion of necessity was so important that in addition to appearing in the introduction of the Declaration, it was invoked twice more at crucial junctures in the rest of the tex t and appeared frequently in other congressional papers after July 4, 1776.(7) Labeling the Americans one people and the British another was also laden with implication and performed several important strategic functions within the Declaration. First, because two alien peoples cannot be made one, it reinforced the notion that breaking the political bands with England was a necessary step in the course of human events. America and England were already separated by the more basic fact that they had become two different peoples. The gulf between them was much more than political; it was intellectual, social, moral, cultural and, according to the principles of nature, could no more be repaired, as Thomas Paine said, than one could restore to us the time that is past or give to prostitution its former innocence. To try to perpetuate a purely political connection would be forced and unnatural, repugnant to reason, to the universal order of things.(8) Second, once it is granted that Americans and Englishmen are twoShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence1501 Words   |  7 PagesThe Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important document in U.S history that helped led to this country s independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence helped us earn our freedom to become an independent nation with our own rules. However, without Thomas Jefferson and the rest of their concerns and reasons for separating this wouldn t have been possible. The writing alone wouldn’t have made this document memorable.The use of rhetoricalRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence877 Words   |  4 PagesThe Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is without a doubt one of the most important documents ever to be written in American history so far. It was signed by fifty-six different men, all who were representatives from different states. The person who wrote the Declaration of Independence is someone who we all know and grew up learning about, the famous Thomas Jefferson. The purpose of it was to declare the 13 colonies in America free and independent from Great Britain, getRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence969 Words   |  4 PagesThe US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence as well as the Letter to the Danbury Baptist are not just historical documents, but some of if not the most important documents of the history of our nation. 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The three most dominant are the Progressive, dominant during the first half, Neo-Whig, dominant during the middle half,and variant of the Neo-Whig, dominated during the last half. The interpretation that makes the most sense to me is the Neo-Whig. I agree with Neo-Whig because in that it is a â€Å"logical culmination of a decade-long pamphlet war† because if I were treatedRead MoreComparing The Declaration Of Independence926 Words   |  4 Pages 2 The US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence as well as the Letter to the Danbury Baptist are not just historical documents, but are some of if not the most important documents of the history of our nation. Although, similar in many facets the intentions and the goal pursued by each highlight their individuality. The fact that the Declaration of Independence was the first to be implemented and signed is of significant importance as it set