Perspectives

To gain a broader perspective on “The Declaration of Independence” you might find it useful to look at the larger historical context and similar texts or speeche…

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Historical perspective

The Declaration of Independence is now considered a founding American document and one of the most influential official documents in the world. While it was initially received with criticism from Great Britain who rejected the idea of the thirteen North American colonies becoming independent, in the subsequent years, the document became very influential for other nations including Belgium, Liberia, and New Zealand. The document served as inspiration for many other nations who d…

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Textual perspective

In your analysis of “The Declaration of Independence”, you could consider comparing the text with political speeches related to similar themes.

You might look at the speech “Tryst with Destiny”, made by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 on the eve of India becoming independent from the British Empire. The speech and the Declaration share the common theme of independence from British rule, but the way the theme is explored in each of them is very different. While “The Declaration of Independence” is largely a direct criticism of the British rule listing numerous accusations against the King, “Tryst with Destiny” focuse…