Directed Writing #5

On July 4^th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed in order to break the thirteen colonies from Great Britain's control. Before this historical event, the United States was under the control of Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson, who turned out to be one of the primary writers of the Declaration of Independence. He revealed concepts of Enlightenment and Deism in the Declaration of Independence.

            Three concepts sum up Enlightenment thought: reason, nature, and change and progress (Harrison 469). These key elements of the Enlightenment can be seen in the Declaration of Independence. According to Harrison "all assumptions ... should be subjected to critical and empirical reasoning" (469). Jefferson complains about the ruling of King George. Evidence of reason can be through this subject. In the lines, The thought of Reason is being addressed.  Since Reason is based of the idea of making a decision off of a well under the thought out issue, and then coming to a conclusion. The Declaration of Independence, was something that had radical ideas, in which, made it hard for some to adapt. It also included the technique of reasoning through the enlightenment, through the process of making a defined position. The reason why the Declaration of Independence was so radical for its time, because it broke against the stereotypes, and created a new life for those; concluding as being a part of the Enlightenment.

            Another aspect that goes along with the Enlightenment movement is the idea of Nature. When talking about nature, it says that "nature is ordered, functions reasonably, and constitutes a standard for judgment. Nature is governed by a few simple and unchangeable laws" (Harrison, 469). Nature is a fact of life, and something that cannot be proven wrong because it is concrete.  The Declaration of Independence says, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed."  Nature can be compared to this, because in order to get something, there has to be "secure rights" which pertains to the government, and creates a bond between. 

            The last aspect of the Enlightenment Era was the change and process idea. According to Harrison, the "Change and process [idea] work hand in hand as human beings work to perfect themselves and their society. Change should not be viewed with distrust as deterioration from a previously superior more perfect state of things." This definition thoroughly supports the idea of the Declaration of Independence. Since this document was  a turning point in independence, it created a change within the 13 colonies. When change comes along, there also has to be a "process" that goes along with it. It is not a very healthy resort when processing is somewhat taken faster in the process. In the Declaration of Independence  it says "Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on Such Principles, and organizing it's Powers in Such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness." This is saying that when there is a shift in policy, it's important to have a strong foundation, and embrace the change, with help from the Government.

            DEISM: "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," All of these ideas contained the elements of the Enlightenment, but another element has to be addressed, when it comes to discussing the Declaration of Independence: Deism. "The views of nature and reason led to the development of Deism in the eightieth century. Deists believed in an impersonal creator God who was not providentially involved with the day-to-day operations of the world" (unknown, 134). Along with that deism, is considered to be "Essentially a rationalistic religion, which assumes that all mean naturally possess the ability to know the universe's Deity through reason, and that the creator of the universe was a rational architect. The knowledge of God came not through Jesus Christ or the power of the Holy Spirit, nor were the Christian Scriptures or church tradition necessary. God revealed himself in nature and through reason" (Reid, 470).  Through all of these facts, Deism is a new way to look at God. Through the Declaration, it was made known that God was the all being. The Declaration says "...and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate ad equal Station to which the Laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them..." (Jefferson) This is the opening statement of the Declaration of Independence, which sets up a tone for the rest of the document.

            Through all the aspects that were covered here, Enlightenment and Deism, they all create a common bond within the Declaration of Independence, to make it the document that created freedom, ad also, certain rights in which ever human posses. Without the Enlightenment Era, the radical thinking, and the ideas of support God in a different manner, the world would not be what it is today.

Harrison, J. Sullivan R. and Sherman, D. A Short History of Western Civilization, 6^th ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985.

Jefferson, Thomas. Declaration of Independence. 1776.

Reid, Daniel G. ed. Dictionary of Christianity in America. Dowers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990.