America's Response To 'Homespun Virtue'

The Declaration of Independence was formed resulting from the treatment of 13 colonies from the British government without representation after subsequent denials to be represented and treated equal. This historic document was revolutionary because it’s what began the transition of our government into a democracy unlike that of parliament in the 1700’s. The British government and their ruling made decisions that didn’t involve what was right for the people; only what was in the best economic interest of parliament. This caused significant hardships on the American colonies which eventually led to them coming together as a people and forming this declaration.

Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “Common Sense” is seen as one of the worlds most influential documentaries of all time. One of the reasons Common Sense was so popular was because unlike many writers from his time Paine used a lot of common sense arguments that average people could understand. Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet "Common Sense" in 1775 and it was published in January of 1776. The main impact of this pamphlet is known as a way to help cause the American colonists to decide to fight for independence. Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. So if Thomas Paine would have never wrote this the Americans may have never decided to fight for their independence.

During the time period of 1600 to 1776, the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies changed massively. The relationship between Great Britain and the colonies changed greatly because of three main reasons: the relationships that the colonies and Great Britain were built on, the struggles that the colonists faced because of their relationships with Great Britain, and the anger that the colonists expressed because of the ridiculous taxes that they had to pay. Once the colonists realized that they were suffering under British rule, most of the colonists became eager to be independent from Great Britain. The colonists’ Second Continental Congress believed that the acts and taxes created by the British Parliament were unconstitutional, unjust, and unfair towards the colonists and because of that belief, the Declaration signers forever changed our country.

After years of being subjected to Britain’s constant demands and constricting rules, America decided to pursue the future government and society they desired. They sent a letter to King John III, this letter contained a list of offenses the king had committed, and it also rallied up the colonists to fight for their freedom. This letter, called the Declaration of Independence, was ratified on July 4th, 1776. With the help of five colonists Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence to voice the people’s concerns. This letter ended up impacting how the government developed. The American government was significantly influenced by the Declaration of Independence, which established freedom and more rights for the people, and equality

Three main documents that have directly and indirectly affected the American Revolution are The Declaration of Independence (July 1776), Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” (January 1776), and John Locke’s “Second Treatise of Government” (1689). All of these documents are related to one another in the fact that they paved the way for the future of America and led to the amazing country we live in today.

This leads to the Declaration of Independence which was adopted July 4, 1776. This document was meant as a self-esteem boost for the new Americans; giving them inalienable rights. “The most important statement in the declaration is the human rights, where the life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are extolled” (Gaynor). “He [Thomas Jefferson] wrote: "... it was intended to be an expression of the American mind" (Early America). Jefferson meant that the American people wanted freedom from high taxes and the big government in England.

The Declaration of Independence is a document, saying how the British government wanted to halt their authority, thus wanting to construct their own government . It starts off, by saying that it introduced reason it was created- colonists beliefs about the purpose of the government. Also, complaints against King George lll, actions he took that the colonists believed violated their rights and principle of government. Finally, the colonists officially declared the United States as a independent nation. "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not" (Thomas Jefferson).

Great Britain felt the need to deploy more troops to the US after French war. In doing so this brought the British into financial strain. With a number of huge debts to pay the Crown and Parliament focused its attention to the American colonies in seeking financial gain. Great Britain’s Crown and Parliament forced upon the American colonies laws in the form of Acts that benefited its own countries identity and not that of the American people. The American colonists were justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain mainly due in part from many acts unjustly instilled upon them such as the Sugar Act of 1764, Stamp Act of 1765, and the Townshend Acts of 1767.

The Declaration of Independence was a statement written and approved by members of the Second Continental Congress in Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776. The Declaration was the colonies announcing that they were officially separated from Great Britain and were independent sovereign states. The Declaration can also be seen as a declaration of war, because they are basically saying that they are breaking off from England and if England wants them back they will have to take them back. The Declaration of Independence influenced the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights by introducing the principles and ideals behind their fair and equitable government.

The American colonies were justified in their response to the taxes King George III and Parliament applied on the colonist as Britain allowed this new world to form its own reality and sense of independence by refusing to financially support the colonies and ignoring the large gap that developed over time between the colonies and Britain.

The Declaration of Independence is a well-known document that is major part of American history. It was created because the British government was violating the colonists’ rights and the colonists demanded their independence as their own nation. Although there have been many interpretations of the Declaration of Independence, three of the major reasons were a bid for French support, an attempt to swing uncommitted Americans to the revolutionary cause, and a statement of universal principles, which led the colonists to unite to revolt against the British.

Thomas Paine was responsible for some of the most influential works of the revolution. Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense was a very crucial part to America and its movement of independence from Britain. Paine was effective with his writings by being very plain. He wanted both farmers and officials to understand what he was talking about and be able to comprehend his ideas. Paine wanted to put his ideas out to the people of the American colonies so that they could understand it just by reading and not have to analyze and decipher what he was really trying to get across. He wanted to let the colonist know that there was no more room for talking about a split from English rule but it was time for the colonies to unite and take up arms against their British oppressors.

For 150 years, the American colonies are left alone by Great Britain to make due by themselves, however Great Britain still had the ability to take from, tax, and control the colonies when Britain felt need be. The American colonies in the eyes of Great Britain was simply an income. The American colonies existed to support the core of Britain by taking things such as gold, tobacco, and money; this happening was called solitary neglect. Although solitary neglect ended after the 7 years war, things such as the sugar act, the writ of assistance, and the stamp act would then be created by Britain in order to create more money. These acts would enrage American colonists and later cause them to revolt against Britain to try and obtain freedom and become their very own country. King George's 1775 speech to parliament is easily used to represent Great Britain's views of the American’s revolt and the Declaration of Independence is known to show the American’s reasoning for revolting against Britain.

Consequently, the British Parliament imposed taxation on the colonists in the 1760’s. The colonists resented this intrusion, for they felt they were not truly represented in the British government. Taxation without representation became the rallying cry of the colonists.

Common Sense was extremely instrumental in the initiation of the American Revolution. It was so effective because appeared in a society that had no mass media, no entertainment-industrial complex -- nothing to compete with the urgency of Paine's message to the people. At the same time, Paine sought to write it