Declaration of Independence Class Notes

1. Diction Group= Cheyenne, Daisy, Stephanie, Kadidiatou
-The word “Creator” is used instead of God because God is a word most closely associated with Christianity, so using “Creator” acknowledges other religions.
-“All men are created equal…” – The quote is funny in a sense because at the time this was written saying this was a lie! People were still enslaved while this was written and in the country that wanted “freedom”. So basically this meant all white men were created equal and all other races below were below them hehe.
-Many words that aren’t normally capitalized are, to add emphasis. I.E.: Creator, Rights, Life, Liberty, Happiness, Men, Government, People, Safety, Prudence, Despotism, Object, Guards, Tyranny and Facts.
-“Governments are instituted among Men”- the emphasis on “men” draws attention to the fact that it should be taken literally, as in WOMEN have no business in the government = sexist.
-The harder / sophisticated words or language used implies that it is for only the “educated” to read
-  Safety and Happiness - Capitalization
      The words are capitalized to suggest to the reader that the safety and happiness of the people are important, the reason why the declarations was created.
-       Government – Repetition
   The word government implies that this is the main subject of attention because it is repeated throughout the reading. 
2. Details
Facts:
·      Nothing in this text sounds like facts
·      There are no numbers
·      Author is stating his ideals, what he beliefs the government should be and its duty to the people
·      Uses history of the king of England as a way to back up his argument.
Arguments
·      All men are created equal
·      They have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
·      The government should protect this right
·      Describes previous failing government (facts?)
·      Describes the colonies as a land that Britain has fail in its ruled over it
·      Uses the history of the king of Great Britain to back this up (facts?)
Concludes with establishing that when a government fails its people they have the right to revolt.
Deductive REASONING
The Britain fails to protect the right of the colonist
The colonist suffered because of it so they have the right to revolt
Therefore we are revolting
3. Language
Declaration of Independence
Standard Written English: shows understanding of correct usage of grammar, spelling and punctuation as well as using sophisticated vocabulary, which brings ideas together. If the authors have mastered this technique, it proves that they posses the ability and authority to manipulate the English language.
·      Example: “the history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.”
Ø  The authors constructed a coherent sentence, however their punctuation may be a bit faulty.
4. Syntax: Tyresha, Tia, Kris, Genesis, Timmy
·      Length of the sentences vary
·      The paragraph is uniformed
·      The facts are toward the end
·      The sentence length is effective because when they run on for a long period of time, you lose interest.
·      The author literally wrote his thoughts without caring much about punctuation, etc or the fact that his sentences were running.
·      Dashes = interruption of thought and starting a new one.
·      The capitalization is to emphasize the level of importance the words have to the paragraph.
·      There are only 5 sentences.
·      Commas continue the thoughts

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, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Long sentences

Capitalization to put emphasis on words

Double dash

Semi-Colon

Religious and moral

Pattern of people being society

Double dash to show important

Semicolon equal thoughts

Capitalization more than one