American Values in the Declaration of Independence Essay

In 1776, a semi-unified country sign-language(a) single of the most important documents in story. Since and so the province has shown signs of how different the country was from 1776 to the present. The resolving of freedom is establish on the social shrivel agreement of government and is focused on equality, freedom, and power. These values drive home been both choke offed and contradicted in the Statesn history (Jefferson, pg. 443). In the declaration, Jefferson states that all(a) men atomic number 18 created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unforfeitable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness (Jefferson, pg. 443).This speaks directly to the humane theory of social contract that was prevalent at the time. One of the greatest political philosophers of the time was a man named John Locke. His thinkings on governance were that no government could be effective without the consent of the governed and that should a government ever abuse its power they weaken their contract with the people and therefore no agelong transport the consent of the governed and it is the right of the people to destroy it (OConnor &Sabato, pg. 9).When Jefferson explained that these united colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and self-sufficient states (Jefferson, pg. 46), his intent was to make clear that they would no longstanding look to an some opposite solid ground for guidance and support that the States would be its own self-governing nation from that moment on. One of the most contradictory aspects of the Declaration of liberty was its stance on the equality of man. Jefferson speaks fuckdidly about it barely what he refrains from discussing is the institution of slavery. The dissimilitude of the two ideas almost screams off the page. It is not hardly a forgotten production on Jeffersons break. He knew well that slavery was a difficulty in a nation he was purporting to be filled with equal men.Unfortunately the resolution to that issue had not as yet made its forepart know and the Founding Fathers simply left it for time to come generations to figure out. When Jefferson stated that the United States were to be free, it began a period of time where the Statesns would begin to decide honourable what it meant to be an the Statesn. Values would be adopted a cultural identity far removed from that of atomic number 63 would be founded. the States, while separating itself from Britain, still had to w succorle with the incident that the rest of the world thought them nothing to a greater extent than degenerate barbarians who were bucking the control of their superiors.However, between the landing at Plymouth Rock and the Revolutionary War, those half-size colonies had grown isolated from peachy Britain. Not just in distance but in cultural values as well. Feudal Britain could not chthonicstand the democratic the States and vice versa. The humanist theories of th e autonomy of the human lifespan had really taken root in the States whereas in Britain and former(a) parts of the world the ideas were little more than words since there were already noble governments in place.While it is true that America based many of its systems on British techniques, theres no denying that the emphasis of power and control rest far more readily in the rights of the one-on-one rather than the rights of the nation. Of course this is not to say that America doesnt arrive a few skeletons in their closet. Ameri foots still to this day value their freedom and the idea of self-governance, but there was a time in history when this was forgotten. Around the turn of the twentieth light speed America annexed parts of the Philippines.This imperialist-style aggression towards another sovereign nation seems to fly in the face of everything America was built on especially since the Philippines had just win their own independence from Spain (by practically following the playbook that America had written. ) Another way to look at it would be to observe how America interacts with nations and people that are under a different form of government than their own. In a time where independence is lacking in other countries, the United States government tries to export its qualities to other non-independent countries.Even though at one floor in time the United States became free on its own from high powers, now America is the higher power hard to enforce independence in other countries. Though the United States has good intentions, it is not difficult to understand how other nations could see America as imperialist. America doesnt want to poke out its territorial boundaries but it has no problem trying to inflict their style of government on other nations. The Declaration discusses how much power the United States allow foring have by stating that the newly independent olonies will have full power to levy war, fill up peace, contract alliances, estab lish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which Independent States whitethorn of right do (Jefferson, pg. 446).world power is one value that anyone can appreciate. No issuing what country a person is from, at one point in time they wanted power. To consume a country the qualities that Jefferson has quoted, levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce (Jefferson, pg. 446) it gives power to any country. In history, we have encountered when having too much power can leave one person to make grownup decisions.For example, Ex- chair Clinton, after two terms in posture he was being accused of having extra-marital sexual dealing in the White House. Then he go along to publicly lie to the United States about the affair. later he was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice. This example shows soul who had so much power being the President of the United States that he thought he could study away with having an affair while he was in office. He wi ll always be known for his impeachment. Though he had good qualities as a President, he obviously could not handle all the power that was given to him.It could be opined that the reason bar Clinton was impeached, besides lying under oath, is that he went against a core American value that holds fidelity deep down the confines of a marriage to be tight sacred. When he broke from that value, he broke the trustfulness the American people had in him. In conclusion, the American values that necessitated the writing of the Declaration of Independence may have changed since it was written, but not by much. America is an autonomous land filled with people who have built a system of values and a cultural identity that is its own. No longer is Great Britain a threat and common wealth can be achieved easier.America is not perfect but it is unique. Where else on earth can people enjoy the freedoms that this nation affords its citizens? The values of independence and self-governance that bro ught the Declaration of Independence to life still remain a part of the social fabric. Granted, the people are not flake against a foreign power anymore, but that aforementioned(prenominal) spirit that riled a nation to transmutation still maintains its hold on the current system of government and keeps it in check so that this nation of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.