what was purpose of the declaration of independence?

Question

what was purpose of the declaration of independence

Answer 1

Actually, the answer "to declare independence" misses something. Strictly speaking, independence was declared on July 2, two days before Congress signed off on this document, when they voted in favor of the resolution presented by Richard Henry Lee.

So what more did this "Declaration of Independence" do? The text itself tells us, esp. in the preamble. Consider these two clips:

". . . a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the CAUSES which impel them to the separation."

". . . 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."

This is followed by a detailed list of abuses the King is charged with (in violation of the colonists' rights).

In other words, this document not only declared independence itself, but declared to the world the REASONS or justification for this action.

By the way, the Declaration was in keeping with English political tradition. Almost a century earlier, in 1689, amidst the "Glorious Revolution" that deposed King James II and seated William & Mary on the throne, Parliament wrote a document (the "English Bill of Rights") which similarly laid out a list of the former kings' abuses of British rights, as a justification for their act.

Answer 2

I love the declaration of independence. Everything about it, the framers, the politics, the purpose, even the document itself has an immense historical value.

The Declaration of Independence, as many have said is quite literally a declaration of independence from England. Following the Seven Years War, and its New World echo, the French and Indian War, the crown needed lots of money. England was in debt, and had to levy taxes. Because part of the war was fought in America, England decided to tax the colonists. King George, and Charles Townshend earned their fame in America through these taxes. Although the Parliament and Crown imposed a plethora of taxes (stamp act, sugar and molasses act, and the Townshend acts to name a few) the colonists were actually taxed less than the British. However, the colonists, who had maintained years of full autonomy, were irate with the newfound British presence in their lands. The colonists became increasingly unruly, especially in Boston, a city that generated wealth from trade, now restricted to only British routes. This is when the famous events - the Boston Tea Party, and the Boston Massacre - occurred. The English responded with the "intolerable acts." These laws essentially expanded the navigation acts, putting more restriction on colonial trade. Ten ion mounted to near, and soon to be, war, and the Second Continental Congress convened.

The Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration, and he produced a masterful document. He begins with the basic underlying theory behind the revolution, one of liberalism heavily influenced by Locke. He then compiled an amazing enumerated list of all the wrong-doings of the king, and England. It is some twenty odd parallel paragraphs that, although are at times melodramatic and redundant (or recycled,) do turn most readers against the king. Finally, he concludes with simply, the action of the congress, which is to declare independence.

Answer 3

To declare a state of independence from England.

Answer 4

To declare independence. Up until then, there was a lot of thought that a deal would be worked out that the colonies would remain colonies, but get a change in the way the Crown treated them. July 4, 1776 was "crossing the Rubicon" -- we're going to be a new nation, if we win.

Answer 5

Then there is the theory that the founding fathers had financial gains in the matter...otherwise you can go with high school textbooks...to declare Independence, kind of like an "I am running away from home note to the parents." The writers wanted to show England their wrongdoings, and say "we don't have to listen to you anymore."

Answer 6

Read it. It's pretty clear. In its own words the purpose was to

"solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved".

lazy lazy lazy people...

Answer 7

it declared independence

Answer 8

the first document the government created that started the process to screw us all in the end with there new ideas that overides all the others sorry your the next generation to get screwed over

Answer 9

To let the English people, and the rest of the world, know what we were doing and why.

Answer 10

Along with the Constitution, it was created to give Bush and Cheney something to wipe their asses with, apparently....