Propaganda in the Declaration of Independence

While the Enlightenment influenced many people during the eighteenth century to use logic and rational thinking, there is use of propaganda in documents like the Declaration of Independence that suggest writers of the time did not only rely on strong reason, but had weak arguments as well. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson uses propaganda like name calling and an appeal to the people to persuade the public.

One of the weak propaganda techniques that is used in the Declaration of Independence is the use of name calling. The reader can see name calling in the Declaration of Independence when Jefferson lists all of the reasons that America is deciding to sever ties with England and declare independence (Jefferson 124). An example of this is the part of the document that states, "He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidey scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous age, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation." (Jefferson 124).  In the passage the author is tearing apart the British and criticizing them for be barbarous and cruel. In this passage the reader sees how Jefferson only mentions the bad things that England did to America. He chooses not to include the things that the British did do for the colonists like defending them from threats. This name calling and tear down of the British is a way for the author to effectively get his point across, but he is not presenting all of the facts to the readers("Recognizing Propaganda Techniques and Errors of Faulty Logic."). This is what makes this part of the Declaration of Independence propaganda. The author is using emotional appeals and keeping information from the reader instead of using a rational approach that includes pure reason and logic. 

Not only does Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, use propaganda in the form of name calling, but he also uses the weak argument of appealing of the people. It seems like that in the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson is trying to persuade the general public with emotion instead of reason to cut off ties with Great Britain (Jefferson 122). It seems that he thinks that he knows best and a portion of the document states," Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government." (Jefferson 122). In this passage Jefferson is trying to justify the break with England by including all of the people of the colonies having the right to break away from unjust forms of government (Jefferson 122). It is clear that he involves everyone to make them sure that they all have a right to break away from England, and will be an asset in declaring independence.

In conclusion, The Declaration of Independence is not based solely on logic, but also propaganda that appeal to emotion, which is a weak argument. In the Declaration of Independence, the author uses propaganda like name calling and an appeal to the people.



Bibliography:

Jefferson, Thomas. "Declaration of Independence." Glencoe American Literature. N.p.: McGraw Hill, 2009. 122-24. Print.

"Recognizing Propaganda Techniques and Errors of Faulty Logic." Recognizing Propaganda--Guide to Critical Thinking--Academic Support. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. <http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/404.htm>.