Words of Independence
Jefferson uses this word to describe rights that cannot be taken away or given up.
What is unalienable?
According to Jefferson, what is the main purpose of government?
What is to secure/protect people's basic rights?
“For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent” represents what type of abuse?
What is Economic Control?
The long list of grievances primarily uses which rhetorical appeal?
What is an appeal to logic?
Name the three unalienable rights Jefferson specifically identifies.
What are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
To do this means to go along with something despite being reluctant.
What is acquiesce?
Where does a government get its “just powers”?
What is the consent of the governed/the people?
“He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly” represents what type of abuse?
What is Political Power/interference with representation?
The phrase “death, desolation, and tyranny” most strongly uses which appeal?
What is an appeal to emotions?
Find the phrase that tells us where legitimate government power comes from.
“Consent of the governed.”
This word means morally correct or honest behavior.
What is rectitude?
According to Jefferson's argument, when may people alter or abolish their government?
When the government becomes destructive of their rights.
“For depriving us… of the benefits of Trial by Jury” represents what type of abuse?
What is Legal/Judicial Rights?
Jefferson explains that the colonists warned, appealed, and petitioned Britain before separating. Which appeal does this strengthen?
What is an appeal to authority?
After declaring the colonies “free and independent states,” Jefferson names several powers they now possess. Name three.
Any three: levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce.
Jefferson accuses Britain of doing this with “large bodies of armed troops among us.”
What is quartering/housing soldiers?
Why does Jefferson say governments should not be changed for “light and transient causes”?
To establish that revolution should be a last resort and should require serious reasons.
Give one example of the King's military abuse from the grievances.
Possible answers: quartering troops, maintaining standing armies, bringing foreign troops, attacking colonists, etc.
Jefferson repeatedly begins grievances with “He has…” What rhetorical technique is this, and what does it accomplish?
Repetition/anaphora/parallel structure; it piles up the evidence and emphasizes the pattern of abuse.
Find evidence that the colonists tried to solve their problems peacefully before declaring independence. What did they do?
They warned, reminded, appealed, and/or petitioned Britain.
Translate “contract alliances” into modern English.
What is establishing formal relationships with other nations?
Jefferson first says overthrowing a destructive government is a right, but later calls it a duty. Why is that change important?
The repeated pattern of tyranny makes resistance not merely permitted, but necessary/obligatory.
Why does Jefferson give readers so many grievances instead of relying on one especially strong complaint?
To establish a repeated/systematic pattern of abuse and prove his accusation of tyranny.
The grievances contain emotionally charged language. Why are they still primarily logos rather than pathos?
Because their main function is to provide specific evidence supporting Jefferson's claim that the King repeatedly abused his power; pathos is layered into some individual examples.
Explain Jefferson's argument using this chain: Natural Rights → Government → King George → Grievances → Reconciliation → Independence.
People possess natural rights → government exists to protect those rights and gets authority from the people → King George repeatedly violates those principles → grievances provide evidence of the pattern → peaceful attempts fail → independence becomes justified and necessary.