Really, when you think about it, the entire Declaration of Independence is a Declaration of Dissatisfaction. The whole reason for the document's existence is anger and disapproval of the actions of the government. Jefferson repeatedly argues that the British government has done things they shouldn't, and that is why the colonies must be free, going into pretty solid detail about all the shenanigans that have been pulled by the King and Parliament.
Dissatisfaction may seem at first like a tame word for what's going on, and there are certainly more dramatic themes in there. As mild as may seem, though, dissatisfaction underlies almost everything written in the Declaration.
Questions About Dissatisfaction
- Why were the colonists dissatisfied with the British government, both legally and ethically?
- If you had to encompass Jefferson's statements of dissatisfaction into a single sentence, what would it say?
- How effective is Jefferson's depiction of colonial dissatisfaction? Does he go too far, or not far enough? Or does he capture it perfectly?
- Is a prominent theme of dissatisfaction necessary for a declaration of independence? Why?
Chew on This
Jefferson's complaints about the British government distract from the primary purpose of the Declaration of Independence, and make the document really about something else entirely.
Jefferson had to elaborate heavily about the colonies' dissatisfaction with Britain in order to be taken seriously and not seen as ungrateful or hasty in their decision.