Compare and Contrast Essay on the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments

Introduction

The American history in the 1700's the upset and resentfulness of the American colonies towards the British tyranny. On the roadmap to officiate the separation of the two camps political and human rights activists like Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Later some two hundred years later activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton advocated the injustices perpetrated against women in the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (Brannigan 23). These two activists fought against oppression, unjust treatment of a vulnerable flock of the community, different causes of redress but, in different and separate ways. This paper seeks to compare the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by the members of the Second Continental Congress and the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and adopted at the Seneca Falls Convention 1848.

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The Declaration of Independence statement was adopted by the Continental Congress on 4th July 1776. This statement serves as an announcement for the thirteen American colonies independence to go into war with Great Britain to break the bondage of colonialism (Sklar 185). The declaration served as the ultimate formal explanation for the reasons as to why Congress voted for Independence of American states from British tyranny. The Declaration of Independence manuscript was adopted on fourth July but signed on the second of August following the official declaration of the United States of America as independent territories against British colonization and later engrossed in the National Archives as a permanent display of the Charters of Freedom.

On the other hand, The Declaration of Rights and Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton that was adopted at the 1884 Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The document primary purpose was focused on discussing social, religious, civil, and conditions affecting female members of the population that were not covered by the previous reforms to advocate for women's equality and sentimental rights. The document modeled frameworks to ratify the Declaration of Independence on women's rights to fight for their suffrage. The document followed a long and bitter struggle to equalize none advocated rights of women who were oppressed yet the previous liberation efforts did not cover their interests. Both Declarations focused on improving the situations of the target groups as well as fighting against oppression of the superior group and the minority and vulnerable target members of the society. The declarations were strengthened through their adoption by the Convention and the Congress to have a legislative impact on the advocacy element.

The Stanton and Jefferson Declarations are both organized in the use of logical and structural argumentative flow referred to as categorical syllogism addressing the major and minor premises as well as a valid conclusion on the sentimental value of the bill of rights. The two documents had many similarities and close advocacy of human rights and sentimental preservation of human dignity (Sweeten 1994). Again, the two documents list the abusive laws and practices violated against the vulnerable members of the community under oppression and exclusion. For instance, Stanton lists the sixteen abusive violations against women's natural rights in the United States in the late 1700's to early 1800's (Sklar 174).

Furthermore, the two documents were not similar in their jurisdiction on the selection of the beneficial target groups. While the former Declaration by Jefferson sought to seek the liberation of the entire American population, the latter declaration from Stanton felt that Jefferson's works was gendered and did not include the female flock in the interests and beneficiaries. The previous Congress reforms advocated for better and independent living for all Americans while, the Seneca Falls Convention felt that women were left out in the reforms and were underrated, oppressed, abused and unrepresented in the common interests of the Jefferson Declaration. Furthermore, listing the abuses and violations differed because the execution and embrace for advocated change received different forms of reception because of the partisan interests where Jefferson's Declaration gained uproar appraisal because of the common interest for the whole thirteen states in America. On the other hand, Stanton's declaration sought to liberate all women within the United States boundaries and beyond feeling that women were oppressed in all walks of life. The Declaration by Jefferson falls under the revolution era while Stanton' declaration was written during the reform period. Therefore, the first Declaration was written in the mindset of rebellion against the British oppression yet, The Seneca Falls Convention felt that the female flock was discriminated in the revolutionary reforms and still remained under oppression.

Conclusion

In conclusion the Declarations by Jefferson and Stanton to free the United States of America from oppression where the latter addressed the oppression of the Americans and freeing them from the British tyranny advocating for the right to form their own government system. Stanton's Declaration is a logical advocacy for women rights deprived by the admission of privileges and rights as equal members of the United States population. These two Declarations had their share of significance and relevance to the target groups that were geared to be freed from oppression and violation of human rights and privileges.

Works Cited

Brannigan, Gabrielle, "An Analysis of the Declaration of Independence" (2014). Senior Honors Theses. 90. Available at http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/honors/90

Sklar, K. (2015). Human rights discourse in women's rights conventions in the United States, 1848-70. In P. Slotte & M. Halme-Tuomisaari (Eds.), Revisiting the Origins of Human Rights (pp. 163-188). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781316228074.009

Sweeten, Lena, "Demanding Citizenship: The U.S. Women's Movement, 1848-1930" (1994). Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects. Paper 11. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/11