Declaration of Independence Themes
Dissatisfaction
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...
Freedom, Independence, and Tyranny
Jefferson consistently uses the juxtaposition of freedom and tyranny throughout the Declaration of Independence. King George and Parliament represent tyranny, while the people of America represent...
Principles
Principles are fundamental ideas about how people should behave, or how the world should operate (except in science, but that's not really what we're discussing here). In the Declaration of Indepen...
Legitimacy
Jefferson and the Committee of Five made sure the Declaration of Independence didn't just, you know, declare independence, but gave a multitude of legitimate reasons for doing so. Jefferson also th...
Equality
The most obvious presentation of the idea of equality in the Declaration of Independence is the part we all know and love (hint: the word "equal" is in the sentence). That sentence has echoed throu...