Summary of the Declaration of Independence - Paper Example

The Declaration of Independence is the founding documents that offer the information regarding the history of the United States. At the introductory part, the text refers to the Laws of Natures God, which entitles people to assume any the political independence. Also, it provides a vivid acknowledgment of the reasons for independence, which must consist of reasonable terms. The section preamble integrates the most famous lines of the Declaration, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

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The preamble offers an elucidation of certain unalienable rights that the government should not violate. These rights include the right to life, pursuit of happiness and the liberty. In an event whereby the government fails to allow the citizens protect about these rights, the declaration states that citizens have the powers to protect themselves by overthrowing the government. The essay elaborately discusses the indictment, and this begins by indicating the suffering of the American colonies and the feelings of the absolute constraint within the new government being created. Observably, the King is accused of various abuses, such as perpetrating the interference with the colonists right to self-government and appropriate judicial systems.

Finally, the denunciation section of the Declaration of Independence explicitly encompasses the case that involved the separation of England in the hopes of peaceful resolution, but with clarity and understanding. The section further recognizes that various attempts had been made to collaboratively work out the improvement of the relationship between England and America.

The letter from the Birmingham Jail Summary

This essay is about the letter written by Dr. King Luther King Jr. in response to the eight clergymen who failed to approve his non-violent protests against the racism and inequality in the United States. Dr. King writes the letter after being arrested. In the letter, he vividly explains what happened, why he did what he did and further urges them to care. Fundamentally, Dr. King notes the claim that he is just a mere outsider whose mission is to cause the trouble. However, Dr. King defends his right to be there in a more straightforward, unemotional tone, and offers an elucidation that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is based in Atlanta but operates through the entire south.

In order to ensure that his rights and freedoms are clearly explained and should not be compromised, Dr. King references several historical theologians, in addition to the biblical characters who would have acted the very way he did. He is calm while in Jail as he believes that he is fighting injustice. In his mind, if the clergymen are willing to undertake such decisions and stands against him, Dr. King believes that it is important for them to inspect their conscience. It is because is driven by the belief that he is fighting for morality and justice, and therefore need to support him. Before closing, Dr. King addresses the clergymens commendations of the Birmingham police, whom they argued were not violent in the efforts to encounter the protests from the protesters. He offers an implication that the clergymen are mostly ignorant about the bad languages used by them and further insists that their discipline does not validate their actions and roles as the clergymen. Dr. King finally apologizes for the length and potential overstatement of his letter.

Questions

Content #1: king makes several assertions on which he bases the rest of his argument. What are they?

King argues that he is cognizant of the interrelatedness of all the communities and states in the United States. He asserts that he cannot sit idly in Atlanta and not be concerned about what is happening in Birmingham. King further argues that injustice everywhere is a threat to justice anywhere. Regarding these assertions, King vividly has all the reasons for his arguments. For example, he mentions that the clergymen are anxious over the Blackmans willingness to violate the laws. He speaks of the segregation, and describes it as unjust, based on the fact that it is that the majority propels the minority to emulate while moving away from it.

#3: Four basic steps

In his letter, Martin Luther explicitly outlines the four basic steps for the non-violent campaigns. In this way, he numbered them one through four and includes:

The collection of facts to determine whether the injustices are alive; In the case of Birmingham, it involved the dominant violence against the black community, police brutality and unfair treatment of the blacks in courts.

Negotiation- The black leaders had attempted to conduct negotiation with the police but their concerted efforts in vain.

Self-purification- It involved the organizations of workshops for training in regard to non-violence techniques.

Direct action- in the case where the first three steps fail, the King and other likeminded people organised for direct action. He recognises that they are last resorts but fully validated to encounter the mistreatment of the black population

Goal for the non-violent

The goal for the non-violent direct action, therefore, seeks to create a crisis and consequently establishes a creative tension. In this way, the community which has refused to engage in negotiation is forced to confront the issue rightly.

#6: How does the king establish reasons for writing?

In the letter, he vividly explains what happened, why he did what he did and further urges them to care. Dr. King calls the clergymen the men of genuine good will and forces them to care even as he attempts to answer their statements through patient and reasonable terms. He writes the letter while in jail at Birmingham and addresses it to the clergymen. He defends his right to be in prison in a more straightforward and unemotional tone.

#10: Part of the letter appealing chiefly to:

In his letter, King employs the three appeals that include reason, emotions. The first appeal, which is the appeal to reason attempts to persuade an audience to agree with an argument through the reputation and the characters of the speaker. As a political leader, Martin Luther is liked and therefore his position is easily emulated by his followers. On the other hand, the appeal to emotions as used by the King attempts to persuade an audience by targeting their emotions so as to achieve their sympathy for claims. In the letter, he further explains that calling the actions of Negroes unwise and untimely is an act of barring them from getting their justice.