Declaration of Independence

We are supposed to analyse the use of propaganda in the United States Declaration of Independence. The only fault I find in the Declaration is that is states opinions as facts, often in means to gain sympathy for the states.  

One instance of this is the line "Such has been the patient suffering of the colonies." (Jefferson 122).  Thomas Jefferson is talking about how the colonists have been getting bullied and abused by the British soldiers and the King.  I am certain that the colonists were mistreated, and it was the fault of the soldiers and king.  However, the term "patient suffering" is an opinion.  I don't believe the British thought the colonists were being patient when they started a war.  This statement may oversell the "suffering" too.  Most of the suffering done at the time was in the bank.  The British had been enacting heaving taxes which the colonists had to endure and pay, but the statement made by Jefferson makes it sound as though the British physically abused all colonists.  There are reports and documents of these British soldiers hurting innocent colonists, but it was not wide spread and very rare.  

The other notable time this happens, Jefferson says that the British "have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity" (Jefferson 124).  The British thought they were being just when they enacted the taxes on the Americans.  The British needed a means to collect revenue to get themselves out of debt from the end of the Seven Years War. Taxes against the Americans, who the British put all of their money into protecting, seemed logical.  The British had justice in mind when the began what the colonists saw as offences against their humanity.  In all honesty, the taxes were steep, and most seemed reasonable to the Crown.  Some acts were enforced to punish the Americans when they refused to pay the taxes though, which could be seen as cruel.  However,  Shortly before the Americans wrote the Declaration of Independence, the British offered to revert the laws back to before 1763 when the taxes began. The Americans rejected this offer because independence was in sight, but would not be recognized for another 5 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Jefferson wrote a very good Declaration, and it is no surprise to me that it is used as a basis for independence by many other countries.  The only possible propaganda I found was the use of opinion as fact with the intent to gain sympathy.


Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. American Literature. Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe, 2009. 122-24. Print.