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And the winner is…
04/15/10
In our most recent poll, readers chose the Declaration of Independence as the document that best reflects America’s national character. It was a landslide victory for Jefferson’s iconic document, garnering over 58 percent of the votes. Martin Luther King, Jr.‘s “I Have a Dream” speech came in a distant second, with over 19 percent of votes. The Bill of Rights and JFK’s inaugural address tied for third, each with close to 10 percent of votes.
One can hardly help but be moved by the inspiring words of the Declaration of Independence. Although the primary aim of the Declaration of Independence is to declare the independence of the United States, its related aims include the delivery of a compelling argument for the legitimacy of America’s right to independence, to thus set the United States on an honorable foundation. The appeal to reason, the bold language and even bolder message, the call to arms, and the proclamation of universal rights all leave the reader reeling with democratic fervor. The language is concise, clear, to the point, and dripping with powerful prose and even more powerful imagery. From the preamble to the last resounding phrases, the men of the United States of America’s founding era wrote a declaration for the ages.
While the immediate impact of the Declaration of Independence was felt primarily in colonial America, the long-term impact has been much broader, if harder to measure. The document’s creed has been invoked to justify revolutions in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere. Widely read and oft cited, the Declaration remains one of the most influential political documents ever penned by an American.
Read the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (Tip: Look for the DocNotes icon to download our expert analyses of this document and of Thomas Jefferson’s writings.)
Browse our TEACHER RESOURCES for the REVOLUTIONARY ERA