Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence Essay Example for Free

doubting Thomas Jeffersons Declaration of Independence Es opineThomas Paines Common Sense and Thomas Jeffersons Declaration of Independence argon two important and popular persuasive documents in American history. both documents were written in 1776 about the same subject (Famighetti 512 Independence Hall Association 1999). However, as angiotensin-converting enzyme reads the different documents one would observe the difference in tone and styles adopted by severally generator to express their ideas. As persuasive kit and boodle both presents the current problems that they were facing, both give reasons as to why the problem was occurring and both presents a solution to the problem. The subject of both documents was Great Britains relationship with the American colonies. Both documents were written at a m when Great Britain was pressuring the American colonies to pay unreasonable and unsportsmanlike taxes to her (Perry 431). Paine had felt that Great Britain was abusing its power while Jefferson argued that Great Britain was a tyrant. Then each author proceeded to numerate their own reasons why they think it was so. In view of the current circumstances, both authors had felt that the colonies should free itself from Britains rule.In communicating his ideas, Thomas Paines Common Sense was written more in the delegacy of an editorial persuasive essay that aimed to make the people become aware of what was really going on between Britain and the American colonies. In the opening paragraph Paine clearly admit that what he was about to say may not be the general tenet or views of his readers, perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor( Independence Hall Association1999 ). He was merely presenting his opinion regarding a certain situation.On the other hand, Jeffersons works was already a call to action as if the people already knew what was going on. The assumption that he was addressing to people who already knew the real situation was in the statement, When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to collapse the political bands which have connected them with another (Fameghetti 512), as if implying that certain events of which the people were aware of is now spark advance them to separate from Britain. In other words, Common Sense was educating the people while The Declaration of Independence was for the most part calling the now educated people to action.Thomas Paines discourse was merely voicing his opinions and ratting the people of the real situation, his tone of voice was more of calm persuasion as if he was vigilant up the general American public from a long sleep of indifference and ignorance when he observes that the Americans were in a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong which gives it a sounding appearance of being right( Independence Hall Association 1999 ) . Paine then ended his document with a suggesti on of what the American people should do.Jefferson on the other hand, adopted a more confident, assertive and with a sense of urgency tone in his work, with the goal of rallying more sympathizers and followers to the cause of emancipation and urging them to make an immediate action. This can be supported by the fact that by the time the document was conceived and read, not all Americans agreed to the separation (Perry 431). Yet Jefferson used the We hold these truths to be obvious, using the word we to mean that he was assuming that all Americans was sharing his views and with this regard he was acting the role as the voice of the American people (Fameghetti 512).Unlike Paine, Jefferson ended the document not with a suggestion but with a bold announcement for the need of separation (Fameghetti 513). Moreover, the organization of both documents was different. Jefferson took a rather direct and abrupt approach in communicating his views. He immediately introduce his ideas in the be ginning few paragraphs citing John Lockes inalienable rights as the main basis for his argument and without more than hesitation supported his view on separation by listing Britains faults.The theme of his works was more to justify American acts of rebellion so that other nations such as Spain and France from which they hope to earnings support for their cause will not consider their revolutionary actions as illegal acts of rebellion (Maier 43). Paine, on the other hand, adopted a storytelling format in presenting his views. He took pains in providing background study about his subject (Independence Hall Association 1999).He examined every detail and favorable examples and presented them as perspicuous explanations in support of his views of why it is better for a nation to be independent of Britain. When one examines each documents, one can conclude that in Common Sense, Paine acted as a persuasive educator, whose role was all that of a man who had the task of arousing the int erest of his readers to side with his views while Jefferson acted more as an active attraction of rebellion, whose main goal was to inspire the people to make immediate action in response to their belief that Great Britain should not rule over them.Works CitedFamighetti, Robert. The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1996. New tee shirt Funk and Wagnalls Corporation, 1995. Independence Hall Association. Common Sense by Thomas Paine. 1999. US History administration Website. Accessed April 4, 2008 http//www. ushistory. org/paine/commonsense/singlehtml. htm Maier, Pauline. American Scripture Making the Declaration of Independence. New York Alfred A. Knopf, 1997. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. New York Houghton and Mifflin, 1988.