The Grievances In Thomas Jefferson's Declaration Of Independence

While the Declaration of Independence was written with the intent to convey to Britain that the thirteen colonies were independent states and no longer under their rule, it actually declares that men are equal, and thus have certain rights that cannot be denied to them. Through the list of grievances, Thomas Jefferson exemplifies the colonist’s inborn rights that were denied by the King. Jefferson constantly states how the British government unfairly ruled them with limited representation and would constantly impose actions without their consent, such as when he quartered troops in their homes and cut of their economic activities. Jefferson believed that a Government should support its people and head to its wants and needs in order to become prosperous, rather than being tyrannical and limiting their expansion, both geographically

Thus even after the implementation of the document, society did not reflect the ideals word for word, and a large proportion of colonist, such as slaves and women, did not benefit very much due to the unequal status they had in comparison. Overtime, the status of women and other groups have vastly improved, and many of the ideals of the Declaration of Independence are seen in today’s government. Everyone has the right to vote and to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” However, these are not absolutes, as the government has also implemented many laws that obstruct one’s freedom. There are still issues of the government overpowering the people, and many of the international interactions are not determined by the say of the people. Governmental power is often held by a few, and this also leads to problems as citizens feel that their voices are not being heard. This inequality is not seen only between people and the government, but also different groups of citizens today (gender, race,