How Did American Ideals Of Liberty And Freedom Changed After The Declaration Of Independence
Niamh O'Hara
American History 7-3
American ideals of liberty and freedom have changed as America advanced and became a nation. The Declaration of independence was one of the founding documents that defined liberty and freedom at the start of America's new government. The Gettysburg Address was spoken by President Lincoln near the end of the Civil War which redefined what liberty and freedom meant in America. These definitions had to be changed after the Civil War because of secession and slavery. The time periods dictate the interpretation of the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg address and what they meant to define liberty as. Both documents directly state that "all men are created equal". The Declaration of Independence was written during a time where slavery was normal and excepted by society. When …show more content…
As times advanced and the Civil War became focused on the topic of slavery, the definition of liberty and freedom for the North changed tremendously. Lincoln meant all men, black or white were given rights as citizens in America when he stated, "...conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." This definition had to be changed as there became recognition in the United States of how morally wrong slavery was. In the Declaration of Independence it states, "--That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such forms, as to them shall seem most likely to
American History 7-3
American ideals of liberty and freedom have changed as America advanced and became a nation. The Declaration of independence was one of the founding documents that defined liberty and freedom at the start of America's new government. The Gettysburg Address was spoken by President Lincoln near the end of the Civil War which redefined what liberty and freedom meant in America. These definitions had to be changed after the Civil War because of secession and slavery. The time periods dictate the interpretation of the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg address and what they meant to define liberty as. Both documents directly state that "all men are created equal". The Declaration of Independence was written during a time where slavery was normal and excepted by society. When …show more content…
As times advanced and the Civil War became focused on the topic of slavery, the definition of liberty and freedom for the North changed tremendously. Lincoln meant all men, black or white were given rights as citizens in America when he stated, "...conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." This definition had to be changed as there became recognition in the United States of how morally wrong slavery was. In the Declaration of Independence it states, "--That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such forms, as to them shall seem most likely to