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Declaration Of Independence Diction Essay

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Thomas Jefferson’s use of diction and imagery in the Declaration of Independence clarifies to the world that King George III and the British government have been shallow and narrow-minded to the colonies. Thomas Jefferson describes King George III as “forbidding his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance,” therefore proving the cruelty and selfish nature of King George III. Jefferson’s use of diction describing the British government and King George announces “He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers”. The King does not want to assign new people to office and by keeping the same people, limits the opinions and Laws that can be passed. Jefferson uses …show more content…

Jefferson describes King George in the Declaration as “ refusing his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good”. Jefferson uses imagery as a way to persuade the people of the world to understand what the colonists are going through and to stand with them if the British retaliate, which is what the British did after the Declaration was released. Jefferson’s use of imagery creates panic for the other countries who read the Declaration by bringing to light the struggles the colonists went through to try and make peace with the British by stating “ We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury”. The colonists use imagery to depict the struggle they go through by pleading with the King and the British government to accept them as British colonists, but are refused every time. Jefferson’s imagery in the Declaration shows the “candid world” a look into the everyday struggles of the colonists that all fell back onto King George III. Jefferson describes Britain's mean behavior to the colonists by stating “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance”. The colonists were dealing with the aggression and annoyance of British

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Later, he explicitly indicated to his audience that Britain had unwarrantedly oppressed the American people for too long with his explanation that “…when a long train of abuses and usurpations…evinces a design to reduce them to absolute Despotism, it is their right…to throw off such Government…” The repetition of the idea that the American colonists were justified in their desire for political freedom helped to guarantee that Jefferson’s claim would be seen as valid by the

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Thomas Jefferson, the newly named chief draftsman, wrote the highly famous Declaration of Independence in 1776. The enlightened ideas and statements he used in the document were nothing close to new, adapting John Locke's classic theme of government, along with the doctrine of natural rights. Though Jefferson's message was far from original, the way he eloquently described the right to independence as if it was a novel near its final draft, drew in readers. Yes, his way of speaking was splendid beyond words but what seems most impressive was his capability to criticize the king not once, not twice, but twenty-eight beautiful times, each more marvelous and inspiring than the last. His final insult tied the long list together magnificently, "A

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Yet while the Colonists tried to mock the King, they also needed to find a way to express their views about England and its unjust actions. The result was that the American Declaration placed a strong emphasis on the negatives of the previous tyrannical ruler, similar to how the English Declaration points out the negatives of the previous English ruler(King James II). In fact, in both documents, the flaws of King James II and the flaws of King George III are mentioned first and foremost to demonstrate how any change could be better than past circumstances. For example, in the English Declaration, the document uses anaphora of the word “By” followed by a flaw in King James’ kingdom (“Avalon” Avalon). Similarly, the American Declaration repeats the words “He has” followed by the unjust ruling King George III (“Declaration” Ushistory).

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John Dickinson has been an enigma for most historians of the American Revolutionary period, who have had a challenging time reconciling his role as the “penman” of the American Revolution with his refusal to sign the Declaration of Independence . The other colonists signed the bill and they played a noteworthy part in the history of the birthing of the United Colonies (United States) that cannot be forgotten. Jefferson 's draft constitution for the state of Virginia forbade the importation of slaves, and his draft of the Declaration of Independence-written at a time when he himself had inherited about 200 slaves-included a paragraph condemning the British king for introducing slavery into the colonies and continuing the slave trade ”. The first draft of the Declaration of Independence was not successful because of it included the slaves; there was a second draft that excluded the American slaves and it passed. Many colonists were slave owners and Thomas Jefferson were in that number as well.

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The Declaration of Independence acts as the American Colonies’ formal set of grievances against the King of England. Before citing the injustices experienced, the statement begins with a formal introduction contending that the people have the right to create their own government when necessary. Following is a more philosophical assertion which argues that when a state begins to harm the given rights of the population, it is completely justifiable to begin a revolution to overthrow the subjugator. Next comes the list of complaints directed at the Crown, which range from the abolition of American charters to the dissolution of the Representative Houses. Finally, it concludes with a denunciation of the situation and announce the United States

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This shows that ultimately Jefferson and the drafters of the Declaration of Independence are announcing to the world their separation from British Rule and are a free nation. The authors felt that separation was not only a necessary course of action, but the only course of

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Declaration of Independence Precis Thomas Jefferson in his historical document, The Declaration of Independence (1776), asserts that the colonies should break free from Britain’s tyranny. Jefferson supports his assertion through the use of anaphora, parallel structure, imagery, emotional appeal to patriotism, and logical appeal to the colonist’s basic rights. Jefferson’s purpose is to advocate for the separation of Britain and the colonies in order to escape the British tyranny that King George imposes on the American colonists. Jefferson writes in a measured tone for the British parliament, King George, and for colonists who have been a victim of Britain’s oppression.

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If it weren’t for Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, America would look so much different than it is right now. Who knows if the United States would even exist. Arguably, if Jefferson hadn’t written the Declaration, is someone else had, it wouldn’t have been as strong. And possibly, the new colony would have needed to wait longer to become independent, if they became independent at all. But Jefferson’s strong rhetorical appeals help persuade his audience that new colony deserves independent, and his use of allusions contribute greatly to his argument, making his appeals powerful and capture the attention of his audience, and to get them to agree with him.

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Jefferson explains some of the King’s actions to make them submit to him. These are some of the reason why the Colonist have decided to break their bonds with Britain. Another example is: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.

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In the “Speech to the Virginia Convention” given by Patrick Henry to the President in 1775, asserts that the colonists should not be trying to negotiate with the British. His purpose was to convince the audience that they should not be trying to befriend the people of Great Britain rather that they should make Great Britain their foe. Henry uses his speech to appeal to both the President and the colonist through the use of figurative language, tone, and syntax. Patrick Henry’s use of diction, a persuasive and forceful tone, appeal to ethos and pathos, as well as various syntactical elements in his “Speech to the Virginia Convention” shows that the colonists should be fighting to break away from the British monarchy rather than negotiate terms to try and stay under their clutches.

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During the writing of “The Declaration of Independence”, Thomas Jefferson go to great lengths to describe why the colonies were choosing to separate themselves from Great Britain. This is done not only so readers will have a detailed description of what the American people were facing while being ruled by the King. The vivid depiction of all the cruelty he has shown towards the people. Furthermore, the lengthy, highly descriptive examination of all the wrongs and showing that the colonists made many appeals to the King but also the people of Britain that the reader now feels as if it is wrong for the Colonies to be under Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson begins by detailing the ethical standings of all people that live within the colonies.

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