An Analysis of the Declaration of Independence

Abstract

The language and syntax of the Declaration of Independence creates a flexibility that allows the opportunity for the document to apply to other situations through its appeal to the human condition and fundamental nature of mankind. It serves as a powerful assertion that transcends time and place because its concepts reflect those lasting desires relevant still in modern history. The Declaration has influenced many groups in their resistance against oppressors including French revolutionaries in 1789, disenfranchised American women in 1848, and Vietnamese colonists in 1945. The language of the documents created during these struggles echoes that of the American Declaration demonstrating the eternal nature of this work. The purpose of this paper is to show the lasting impact of the Declaration in relation to the aforementioned political movements; demonstrating the relevance and power of this document 200 years after its conception.