Chyna Vazquez 

October 1, 2020

ENG1121

Word Count: 401

  1. The Declaration of Independence is made up of several sections. Read through and pay attention to the document’s organization. Write a few sentences summing up the purpose of each section and the reason (or reasons) it was written (e.g. is it a call to action? an explanation? a proposal of a solution? something else?).
  • The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by the people. The first section mentions that the people have the right to choose their own government. The main purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to list grievances against the British monarchy. The reason it was written was to call to action. Throughout the Declaration of Independence, it stated that everyone is born with the freedom of speech and has the right to bear arms.  However, many rights that were stated are not always visible. 
  1. What about this document is or is not persuasive in your view?
  • This document is persuasive in my view because it is not only seen throughout the 1770’s but it is still seen in the 21st century. It is still relevant in today’s world because everyone is not treated equally when it comes to their rights. Many minorities continue to get discriminated against because of their race, ethnicity, social status, etc. Even if it’s a written document, it has changed from time to time because many are treated unfairly. 
  1. Take a look at Randy Barnett’s article in The Washington Post. In it, he interprets several of the claims made in the Declaration, and he explains what these claims are saying in modern terms. Pick one or two of the claims that you feel relate to concerns, issues, or problems in American society today, and explain your choice (or choices).
  • In “The Declaration of Independence annotated” it was a great source to further elaborate and understand what the Declaration of Independence was trying to say. The quote that really stood out to me is “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” As I mentioned before, many citizens aren’t treated equally. In American society today, many people are protesting and go into the street for the black lives movement. We all have the freedom of speech, yet many protestors get arrested for peacefully protesting.