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1CommentaryonDeclarationofIndependenceI.PreambleTheDeclarationofIndependenceisimportantbecauseitinspiredmanyrevolutionaryeffortsthroughouttheworldandcontributedtoAmericans'understandingoftheirvaluesasanewnation.Theintroduction,calledthepreamble,totheDeclarationofIndependenceisespeciallyimportantbecauseitbuildsconnectionsbetweenphilosophicaltheoryandpracticalpolitics,expressesthefundamentalvaluesofthenewAmericangovernment,andalsoappealstoothernationstoacceptthenewnation.TheintroductionreliesheavilyonthephilosophicalandpoliticalideasoftheEnlightenmentperiodof18thcenturyEurope,includingtheideasofThomasHobbes,JeanJacquesRousseau,and,mostparticularly,JohnLocke.Lockebelievedthathumans,bynature,hadtherighttoprotectionoflife,health,libertyandpossessions.Jeffersonalteredthisslightlywhenheclaimstheunalienablerightsincludelife,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.Lockealsostronglyopposedthedivinerightofkings--whichheldthatkingsheldabsolutepowerbecausetheywereplacedontheirthronebyGod--andinsistedthatthepeoplehadtherighttoconsenttotheirgovernmentandthatthepoweroflawmakingresideswiththepeople.Jeffersonincludedthistheorywhenhewritestosecuretheserights,governmentsareinstitutedamongmenderivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned.Jefferson'sdeclarationhelpedtoputLocke'sphilosophiesintotherealmofreal-worldpolitics.ManyrevolutionsthatoccurredaftertheAmericanRevolutioncitedJefferson'sDeclarationofIndependenceasjustificationinoverthrowingacorruptanddictatorialpower.TheintroductiontotheDeclarationofIndependencealsoisimportantforthewaysitcontributedtoAmericans'understandingoftheirrightsascitizens.Americanscontinuetobelievethatthephraseallmenarecreatedequalisafundamentallawinthecountry.Whilethisphrasewasincludedintheintroductiontothedeclaration,itappearsnowhereelseinofficialdocumentsdefiningrightsgrantedundertheU.S.Government.TheDeclarationofIndependenceholdsnolegalauthorityinourcountry,yetitcontinuestobecitedasthefoundationforAmericanequality.VariousgroupsthroughouthistoryhavecriticizedAmericanequality,referringtotheintroductionofthedeclarationforsupport.CriticspointtoJefferson'scontradictorymessageregardingequalityinreferencetoslavery.AlthoughJeffersonstatedthatallmenarecreatedequalandhavetherighttoliberty,heranalargeplantationandwasaslaveholder.Othercriticspointtotheuseofthewordmenasexcludingwomencitizens.The1848SenecaFallsConventionusedJefferson'sformatandstyletodraftTheDeclarationofSentiments,adocumentdeclaringwomen'sunfairtreatmentbytheU.S.governmentandbysociety.Bothasasourcefordebateaboutequalityandasadefinitionoftheideologicalfoundationofthenewnation,theintroductiontotheDeclarationplayedacrucialroleindefiningAmericanvaluesandlaws.TheintroductionisalsosignificantbecauseJeffersoninsistedontheimportanceofexplainingtherebelliousactionsofthe13coloniestothenationsandstatesmenoftheworld.Themostpowerfulnationsoftheworldinthe18thcenturyweremonarchies.2TheideasofJeffersoncouldservenotonlytothreatenGreatBritain'scolonialempire,butthecolonialempiresofothernationsinEurope.RecognizingtheimportanceofmaintaininggooddiplomaticrelationswithEuropeannations,Jeffersonsoughttoexplaintheactionsofthe13coloniesinrationalterms.Anticipatingthatthisdocumentwouldinfluencerebellionselsewhere,Jeffersonclarifiedthatgovernmentsshouldnotbeoverthrownfortrivialcauses.Instead,Jeffersonexplainedthatonlydespoticortotalitariangovernmentsshouldbeoverthrown.II.Thelistofabusesreflectsthecolonists'beliefthattheirrightsasBritishCitizenshadbeenslowlyerodedeversincetheFrenchandIndianWarendedin1763.AlthoughtheDeclarationdoesnotnamethespecificlegislationpassedbyParliament,itslistingoftheabusesandusurpationeffectivelycoversthehistoryoftheKingandParliament'sattemptstogainmorepowerandcontroloverthecolonies.Thelistcrescendoswiththemostoffensiveactions,aimedattotalsuppressionofthecolonies,thatwereputintoeffectjustpriortothesigningoftheDeclaration.ManyoftheactsthattheDeclarationcriticizeswereintendedtotightenroyalcontroloverthecolonies.ThehistoryofParliament'sactsunfoldedoveraperiodof13yearsduringwhichroyalattemptstosquashthecivillibertiesofcolonistsmetwithheightenedcolonialresistance.BeginningwithTheProclamationof1763,ParliamentstrippedcolonistsoftherighttosettleinthelandbetweentheAppalachianMountainsandtheMississippiRiver.ThismeantthatalthoughmanycolonistshadgiventheirlivestodefendthatlandfromtheFrench,theywouldnotbepermittedtoreapthebenefits.Shortlyaftertheproclamation,Parliamentdecidedthatthecolonieswouldhelprepaythewardebts,andenactedlawssuchastheSugarAct(1764),theStampTax(1765),theTownshendActs(1767)andtheTeaAct(1773).Whenthecolonistsprotestedagainsttheseacts,theKingandParliamentrespondedbyfurthersuppressingtherightsofcolonists.Legislationin1774referredtobycolonistsastheIntolerableActsstruckespeciallyhardatthecivilrightsofthecolonyofMassachusetts.TheIntolerableActsdifferedfrompreviouslegislation.Theseactsstrucknotonlyattheeconomicfreedomofthecolonies,butattheirpoliticalrightsandlegislativeindependenceaswell.NotonlywastheportofBostonclosedtoalltrade,butamilitarygovernorwa