what are the four main points of the declaration of independence?

Answer 1

Content of the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration contained five parts. The first part was the Introduction, consisting of a single long paragraph. One key aspect of the Introduction was that it elevated the dispute between the colonists and the British from a relatively petty political dispute to a major event in modern history by placing the colonial rebellion in the "course of human events." The Introduction also helped to dignify the colonists' fight and gave them a certain moral legitimacy by evoking the laws of nature. This section was objective in tone, presented as simple observation rather than as an interpretation open to questioning.

The second section of the Declaration was the Preamble. This general section outlined the philosophy of government that made revolution possible. The Preamble contained several propositions. It stated first, that all men are created equal. Second, that all men are endowed with certain unalienable rights. Third, that these rights include "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Fourth, that governments are instituted to secure these rights. And fifth, that it is the right of the people to abolish any government that does not secure these rights.

The third section of the Declaration was an indictment of King George III of Great Britain. This section was the first to refer explicitly to the conflict between the colonists and Great Britain. Here, the colonists sought to prove that King George was a tyrant and bad ruler. The Declaration listed twenty-eight grievances ranging from taxation without representation to the suspension of colonial laws. Five of the grievances were related to war: (1) by waging war against the colonists, King George had abdicated his right to govern the colonies; (2) the king had "plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our people"; (3) he had used foreign mercenaries; (4) the British had taken captives on the high seas and forced them to bear arms; and (5) they had attempted to incite the Indians to fight against the colonists.

The fourth section was a denunciation of the British people. The Declaration stated that the colonists had appealed in vain to the people of Great Britain. The fact that such appeals had fallen on deaf ears further showed the conditions that justified revolution.

Finally, the fifth section of the Declaration actually declared separation from Great Britain. Here the colonists claimed the power to wage war, conclude peace, make alliances, and do everything else that independent countries have the right to do.

Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and the Declaration of Independence

Americans have evoked the Declaration of Independence in subsequent wars. During the 1850s, Abraham Lincoln went so far as to say that the sentiments of the Declaration influenced all of his political ideas. Soon, Lincoln's understanding and interpretation of the document became that of the country as a whole. The future president's concern with the Declaration emerged during his debates with Stephen Douglas in the 1858 campaign for Senate. One of the key issues of the campaign was the future of slavery. Both men utilized the Declaration to defend their position.

God Bless You :)

Answer 2

In today's English.
all of us are equal, none better than the next because of who their parents were;

our rights are given us by God; not a king, not a Congress, not a priest or a Pope; AND THEY CAN'T BE TAKEN AWAY

the only purpose of government is to protect those rights

and a government can only serve if we permit it to; if they don't do the job, we throw the bums out.......

or as Jefferson wrote,

all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.....and in order to ensure these rights, governments are instituted amongst men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed......."

the most blood soaked words in history; hundreds of millions have been inspired, thousand frightened; tens of millions have died to establish or protect those ideas and ideals, even to today in Iraq and Israel and Afghanistan and wherever men want to be in control of their lives and not be submissive to the King or the Dictator or the Iman......

Answer 3

1. Grevenices of what the king didn't do 2. The belifes of those who wanted America to become independet being known/stated to the public 3. For the colonies to express themselfs of what this revoultion was for and what it ment 4. To shut up John Adams

Answer 4

all men are created equal

any tax without representation is unlawful

all men have the right to bare arms

im not sure on the fourth major point.....

Answer 5

No taxation without hair.
Freedom from green tea.
A good 5 cent cigar.
A chicken in every pot.