Turning Points – Declaration of Independence

Turning Points – Declaration of Independence

Today, America is one of the greatest nations on the planet. This achievement did not happen without major turning points in spread out points in history that brought about tremendous change that made America what it is today. One of these turning points was the Declaration of Independence, which took place on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in America’s history. This document is the founding document of America and officially marked the step taken by the several colonies in America to become independent from British rule under King George III’s monarchy (Jefferson, 2019). The Declaration of Independence was a turning point for America because it made America an independent nation and one free to choose its own government.

The Declaration of Independence resulted from a series of events that took place. The first event was in 1754-1763, which was the French-Indian War. Accordingly, the British colonists started expanding their territory by claiming French-claimed land. The French joined up with Native Americans so that they could fight back, a war which they won. However, more British troops were sent to fight and managed to defeat the French, claiming a lot of French land going up to the Mississippi River (Jefferson, 2019). Nevertheless, this war was costly to the British, leaving them in trillions of dollars of debt. The second event involved King George giving the land they had won from the French to Native Americans in addition to prohibiting the colonists from settling there. This decision made the colonists angry, for they had fought for the land. Thirdly, to pay off the enormous debt, the King decided to tax colonists in 1764, especially on sugar. Colonists retaliated by boycotting the sugar and instead smuggling it from Spain, which turned out awful because it contained sodium leading to many deaths.

In 1765, the King began taxing paper, which brought about protests from the colonists. Eventually, their protests were heard, and the tax was taken away. However, the Declaratory Act was passed on the same day, essentially allowing Parliament to do whatever it wanted to do to the colonists. The aim objective was to ensure that Parliament could tax the colonists as much as they wanted without any fightback. Later on, in 1767, the Townsend Act was passed, allowing the British to tax everything, which only angered the colonists. In 1773, tea, an essential commodity to the colonists, began being taxed. In addition, colonists were instructed to only purchase tea from a company owned by the King, all in an effort to pay off the war debt. The taxation on tea led to the Boston Tea Party, whereby colonists poured gallons of tea into Boston Harbor as a sign of protest (Carp, 2010). This act angered King George, who responded by implementing the Coercive Acts in 1774. The Coercive Acts also referred to as the Intolerable Acts, served as punishment to the colonists for their rebellion.

Due to the many rules imposed on them, in addition to over-taxation and mistreatment, various leaders of the colonies decided to have their first continental meeting. The leaders decided to send a letter to the King addressing their issues, but nothing came of it. Later, in 1775, British troops were sent to Lexington and Concord to seize any weapons the colonists had. However, the colonists rebelled and started a battle, which they won. This fight marked the start of the American Revolutionary War (Daughan, 2018). Later on, as the battle went on, Britain decided to outlaw trade with the colonies, which resulted in the colonies opening their colonial ports to other nations. Throughout 1775 and 1776, the colonists’ leaders held several meetings to discuss their independence. Thomas Jefferson was then tasked with the role of drafting a Declaration of Independence (Jefferson, 2019). Jefferson and his committee presented the final draft of the Declaration of Independence to Congress on June 28, 1776, and it was adopted on July 4.

By declaring their independence, America’s history was changed drastically, starting with being able to form alliances with foreign countries like France. Such alliances helped America win the war against Britain. In addition, the document was the first to contain the words “United States of America” (Congress, 1776), which essentially marked the birth of a new nation. Secondly, the document contained words like “Men are created equal” (Congress, 1776), which provided an inspiring start for civil rights activists to fight against slavery and other human rights violations, like gender discrimination (Allen, 2014). The document enabled African Americans to have a chance to fight for their freedom, which would not have been the case if the document had not been adopted. In addition, the document rejected monarchy and embraced the idea of a republican government (Downes, 2002). This changed how America would be governed until today, a government elected by the people. Moreover, the significance of the Declaration of Independence is still impactful today, especially in terms of individual equality. The fight for equal rights for everyone continues because society is still rooted in racism and patriarchal systems.

In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence was a turning point in American history because it not only made the country independent but also allowed it to choose its own government. A long series of events took place, starting with the French and Indian War and ending with the adoption of the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. The adoption of the Declaration of Independence altered America’s history significantly; for example, the rejection of monarchy and the acceptance of a republican government. Lastly, this document still plays an important role in today’s society, especially regarding individual equality.

References

Allen, D. (2014). Our declaration: A reading of the Declaration of Independence in defense of equality. WW Norton & Company.

Carp, B. L. (2010). Defiance of the Patriots: The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America. Yale University Press.

Congress, U. S. (1776). Declaration of Independence. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from http://bri-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/BAA-001-HandoutE.pdf

Daughan, G. C. (2018). Lexington and Concord: The Battle Heard Round the World. WW Norton & Company.

Downes, P. (2002). Democracy, Revolution, and Monarchism in Early American Literature (Vol. 130). Cambridge University Press.

Jefferson, T. (2019). The Declaration of Independence. Verso Books.

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Turning Points – Declaration of Independence

Overview:

 Turning points are significant events in history that become catalysts for change. These changes, for example, can inspire legislation and war, cause victory or defeat, and lead to the evolution of national ideologies. Some turning points are more obvious than others and are referenced often in the study of history, while others may not be. It is our continued analysis of historical events that determine these significant moments and how they have helped shape the culture of the United States. For your final assessment, you will be identifying, describing, and analyzing a major turning point in U.S. history between the years 1400 and 1865.

Instructions:

 In your paper, you must include the following:

• Why do you believe the turning point is in fact a significant moment in U.S.
• Describe the causes and events that led to the turning
• Analyze how the turning point changed the course of history in the United
• Evaluate the impact of the turning point on today’s

Requirements:

• Well-organized essay including a thesis statement, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion beyond a component of the
• 3-5 pages (not including title page and reference page)
• Use of 5 or more
• Use of 2 primary source
• APA citations used throughout the paper and a completed APA reference