I need some help interpreting The Declaration of Independence...?

Question

I need some help identifying examples of:

1. Social Injustices
2. Political Injustices
3. Economic Injustices

I need to Identify examples in the Declaration of Independence, of each Injustice stated above.

Thank you so much for your help!

Answer 1

All of the injustices are spelled out in the Declaration. Go to the part that begins with: "He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good." Immediately after that, all of the injustices are specifically listed.

Answer 2

The central section of the Declaration lists 26 grievances.

Paula Maier's book *American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence*, pp. 105-23, examines the nature of structure of this list and the specific nature of many of these grievances.

Here is a brief analysis of Maier's book:
http://www.saumag.edu/edavis/AmLit/2004/DeclarationofIndependenceMaierNotes.html

And here is a list of some of the specific "civil liberties" violations the colonists complained about. The list includes several items reflected in the Declaration, and mentions some specific events that produced the complaints, which may help you in classifying them.
http://civilliberty.about.com/od/historyprofiles/tp/independence.htm
(the page includes an explanation of each point)


Notes

-- MOST complaints were, at one level, "political", involving what the colonists regarded as their rights AS ENGLISHMEN

-- be especially careful with "taxation" which can be either a political OR economic 'injustice' or BOTH. So look for HOW the taxation is described -- it is related to their "rights as Englishmen", esp. that of passing their own laws or being consulted? In that case it is a POLITICAL injustice.

Answer 3

Do your own homework, Junior!