| Introduction | | | | when they continually oppress their people, then the |
| Thomas Jefferson was one of the principle authors of | | | | latter have a right to abolish their government or to |
| the Declaration of independence. This occurred at | | | | resist it. |
| appoint in history when the thirteen States that would | | | | How the authors depicted race |
| later became the United States of America were still | | | | Locke and Jefferson did not address the issue of race |
| considered British Colonies. The Americans were | | | | specifically perhaps because their writings were |
| discontent with this state of affairs and wrote down | | | | addressed to people from one race. However, one |
| the Declaration of independence. Jefferson worked | | | | can deduce their views about race from their |
| with a number of other authors but many respected | | | | arguments for humanity. Both Locke and Jefferson |
| him as one of the major proponents. However, there | | | | believed that everyone should be accorded their rights |
| are some striking resemblances between | | | | regardless of their race. The main between Jefferson |
| Jefferson’s work and British author John Locke. | | | | and Locke was that Jefferson elaborated more on |
| However, there are also some differences between | | | | the issue of race. One can deduce that he had very |
| their pieces of work. The essay shall examine the | | | | firm convictions about this because he attacked King |
| similarities and differences between works written by | | | | George the forth. He asserted that the British King |
| three authors on the Declaration of Independence; | | | | was a tyrant for allowing the slave trade to continue |
| these are the latter mentioned authors and Frederick | | | | for all these years. Jefferson believed that the black |
| Douglas. These comparisons will be done in relation to | | | | people were getting a raw deal. The King would only |
| political issues, religious issues, equality and other issues. | | | | grant them freedom when they joined Britain in battling |
| (Barthelmas, 2003) | | | | American rebels. It was also recorded that in |
| How the three authors depict equality | | | | Jefferson’s first draft (before presenting it to |
| Jefferson highlights his views about equality by | | | | Congress for editing) had numerous arguments against |
| asserting that all men are created equal in the first | | | | the ill treatment of the black people and slave trade in |
| paragraph of the declaration. Additionally, he believes | | | | general. Jefferson blamed the entire British nation for |
| that they have three major rights that come with this | | | | perpetuating this unfair trade. Therefore in some ways, |
| equality | | | | Jefferson’s writings bore some semblance to |
| • Pursuit of happiness | | | | Douglas’ beliefs on racial issues. (Philip, 1950) |
| • Liberty | | | | However, Douglas was more passionate about the |
| • Life | | | | issue. While the other two authors simply hinted about |
| Some people have claimed that Jefferson simply | | | | it in their writings, Douglas bases most of his work |
| paraphrased what another author in the eighteenth | | | | around it. He claims that the black man was forbidden |
| century had written; John Locke. Locke in his | | | | from doing a number of things within his own country. |
| ‘Second Treatise of government’ asserts that | | | | For instance, he was not allowed to acquire education |
| there are some fundamental rights that all human | | | | and any man who was found educating the black man |
| beings should be granted and these include; Property, | | | | would be give severe penalties. To Douglas, the |
| liberty and life. As it can be seen from the bulleted list | | | | equality of the black man to the white man was rather |
| above, these are the exact words used by Jefferson | | | | obvious yet America had refused to acknowledge this. |
| except for the world property. It has been reported | | | | He goes on to point out the mistreatments faced by |
| that Jefferson had used the word property in his first | | | | black people and how these atrocities were blatantly |
| draft but other members of the Committee he was | | | | wrong. Some of them include the back lashes that the |
| working with urged him to change it to ‘pursuit of | | | | black men got for their labor and the fact that they |
| happiness’. In light of all these striking similarities | | | | received no compensation for their work. Black men |
| between Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence | | | | were to be chased by dogs if they were found guilty |
| and other previous writings, Jefferson’s supporters | | | | of escaping and they did not receive the treatment |
| have defended him and his writings by claiming that | | | | they deserved. |
| the declaration was not a creation of new philosophies. | | | | How the authors depicted freedom of religion |
| He was simply trying to air out what people believed | | | | Douglass claimed that all people had the right to |
| already and was not trying to come up with a new | | | | practice their religion. But the significant difference |
| ideology. | | | | between how Douglas speaks about the freedom of |
| Equality is a concept that stands through out | | | | religion and how Jefferson and Locke bring it out is in |
| Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. He talks | | | | the approach. Douglas uses religion as a way of |
| about how the British government has demonstrated | | | | validating the fact that slaves are just as equal as the |
| their lack of respect for the American people. | | | | white man since they can worship the Christian God |
| Jefferson achieves this by citing 20 instances when | | | | and they have the ability to understand religious |
| this occurred. For example, he says that the British | | | | teachings. Consequently, they should be accorded all |
| government prevented them from trading with other | | | | other rights that their religious counterparts are getting. |
| countries of the world. Additionally, he has problems | | | | On the other hand, Jefferson uses the issue of religion |
| with the imposition of taxes and the imposition of | | | | to denounce the actions of the British against the |
| military forces amongst them. By speaking against | | | | Americans. He believes that if the British followed the |
| these injustices, Jefferson was trying to show how the | | | | teachings of their Christian God, they were obliged to |
| British did not consider the rest of their colonial states | | | | meet the rights of the colonized through granting them |
| equal to them. (Armitage, 2004) | | | | the necessary freedoms. (Barthelmas, 2003) |
| Locke echoes similar sentiments. He believed that all | | | | Role of media in politics |
| human beings had the right to preserve their own lives. | | | | During Jefferson’s time, media played an important |
| He also asserted murderers did not act in unison to the | | | | role in articulating some of the views put forward by |
| law of reason because they were contravening the | | | | the Declaration of Independence. However, the media |
| right to life. Furthermore, Locke adds that all people are | | | | also served to criticize these views. One of the |
| supposed to have the right to make their own | | | | newspapers that first published the Declaration of |
| decisions in an effort to exercise liberty. However, he | | | | Independence in London was called ‘The |
| believes that liberty should be exercised in such a | | | | Gentleman’s magazine’. This magazine spoke |
| manner that it does not impede other people’s | | | | against the latter portion of Jefferson’s writings. It |
| liberty. | | | | asserted that men cannot be equal in all realms so |
| While Jefferson and Locke believed that no man was | | | | Jefferson should have specified which aspects i.e. |
| superior to another and that all people should be | | | | moral, situational or size. The magazine also explains |
| granted their due rights, these sentiments were mostly | | | | how every person cannot have the liberty to do |
| theoretical. This is fact brought out by Frederick | | | | whatever they please otherwise it would defeat the |
| Douglas. Douglas believed that most of the sentiments | | | | whole purpose of establishing a government or setting |
| expressed in Jefferson’s declaration of | | | | up religious institutions. The magazine also brought out |
| independence simply referred to a portion of the | | | | the contradiction between the declarations’ words |
| population while the slaves were ignored completely. | | | | and the fact that there was still slavery in the US. |
| Douglas explains that the black person in America did | | | | Douglas used the media to advance his coz. He did |
| not share some of the liberties and freedoms | | | | this through the Abolitionist newspaper called ‘The |
| proclaimed in the Declaration of independence. He | | | | North Star’. Through this newspaper, he was able |
| goes on to add that not all men are equal in the United | | | | to write his sentiments about the role of the black man |
| States. The slaves in the nation were living proof that | | | | in eighteenth century America and what the |
| equality was still very far from the people. He called | | | | government should do. (Philip, 1950) |
| slavery a shame on the nation. Douglas gave | | | | Conclusions |
| examples of such forms of treatment; slaves faced | | | | As it can be seen, most of Jefferson’s sentiments |
| the danger of receiving the death sentence if they | | | | in the Declaration were quite similar to those ones |
| committed any of the seventy crimes listed in the | | | | expressed in Locke’s work. However, the agenda |
| laws. However, non-slaves were only eligible to death | | | | behind the pieces of writings differed between these |
| sentences if the committed one of the two crimes | | | | two authors. Douglas shared some of the above |
| listed in the law. These were clear indications on ho the | | | | sentiments concerning equality but he felt that there |
| nation ii not practice equality. (Hazelton, 2008) | | | | was a lot of hypocrisy in the nation. |
| How the authors depicted political factions | | | | Reference: |
| Jefferson also argued that when people’ rights had | | | | Barthelmas, G. (2003): The Signers of the Declaration |
| been blatantly, abused, they had a right to do away | | | | of Independence: A Biographical and Genealogical |
| with their ruler. In the opening paragraphs of the | | | | Reference. McFarland, p 334 |
| Declaration, Jefferson affirms the importance of | | | | Armitage, D. (2004): The Declaration of Independence |
| leadership. However, he points out that if certain | | | | in World Context; Magazine of History, 18, 3, 61-66 |
| people are oppressed for too long by their ruler, then it | | | | Hazelton, J. (2008): Who Wrote the Declaration of |
| is their right to eliminate that ruler. These sentiments | | | | Independence? The New York Times (2008-03-08) |
| are quite similar to those expressed by the British | | | | Philip F. (1950): The Life and Writings of Frederick |
| author John Locke. | | | | Douglass, Volume II, p 67 |
| John Locke explains the government’s role. He | | | | Pre-Civil War Decade 1850-1860; International |
| says that the need to protect their citizens’ rights. | | | | Publishers Co., Inc., New York |
| The citizens themselves must also fulfill their end of the | | | | which is a global Research Papers and Term Papers |
| bargain through obedience and submission to the law. | | | | Writing Company. If you would like help in Research |
| Locke gives the prerequisites necessary to form a | | | | Papers and Term Paper Help you can visit |
| new political system. He explains that when there is | | | | ResearchPapers247. |
| persistent because of power by the government and | | | | |