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Declaration Of Independence Still Relevant Essay

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The Declaration of Independence may appear to be an old document of ancient history, but in reality, it applies immensely to today’s society. This document publicly states the base of America’s belief in freedom. This includes human rights for all, and a country that has a government not only run by the citizens, but also for the citizens. Originally, it was written as a cry for freedom from Great Britain, but today it stands for so much more. First, the Declaration of Independence declares that the government is by the people, which is based on the line “the consent of the governed.” Citizens in America each have a voice in the government if they let their voice be heard. Most commonly, this voice can be shared by voting in elections for government officials. This is still relevant today because people can vote, but unfortunately, many have chosen not to. According to statistics, the participation of U.S. citizens voting is constantly declining. This is a personal decision, but when the citizens aren’t working together for the government, it isn’t truly by the people, only by those that …show more content…

The document expresses, “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.” This is applicable today, as the government is still not allowed to take away the basic rights that citizens have simply by being human. For instance, the government can’t kill a suspected criminal without an appropriate reason to and a jury trial. For liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the government is not allowed to interfere with the personal decisions that citizens may make in their everyday lives, like what religion they follow. The protection of these three key rights is vital to the average American

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