The Declaration of Independence is the most widely read, recited, and celebrated of America’s founding documents. It has inspired movements across time and around the world — from the French revolutionaries of 1789 to Ho Chi Minh in the 20th century. Both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln claimed to be defending its principles.

In this course, we will closely analyze the structure, language, and rhetorical power of this remarkable document while grappling with several fundamental questions: What did Thomas Jefferson mean by terms such as equality, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? In what ways does the Declaration reflect the ideas of classical and Enlightenment thinkers who shaped the founding generation? How persuasive was the evidence offered to support the claim that King George III was a tyrant?

Required Reading: The Declaration of Independence (click to print)