Thomas Jefferson's Use Of Ethos In The Declaration Of Independence

The Fourth of July is much more than hamburgers and fireworks. On this day in 1776, 56 people signed a document declaring the thirteen United States of America’s independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was written mainly by Thomas Jefferson with input from other members of congress. The document was created to declare independence from the Tyrant British Rule which controlled the United States. After many efforts to detach from British Rule, this document was written to peacefully explain the reasons for which the states wanted to separate themselves. Jefferson effectively explains these reasons by using Aristotle’s style of rhetoric which includes ethos, pathos, and logos.
In the first and last paragraphs of the declaration the authors establish their ethical standing through the use of ethos. Jefferson uses ethos mainly to appeal to the citizens of the United States. He references to “the Laws of Nature” and “God” multiple times to show the common foundation of which the colonists believe in. One instance in which he mentions religion is the statement, “that they are endowed by their Creator.” Jefferson creates a deep bond between the citizen’s and author’s common religious beliefs. The authors point out to the colonists, “Our
Jefferson uses words such as “oppression,” “injury,” and “abuse” to describe what the British government has done to them. The authors create a feeling of betrayal by using these words, thus pushing the people to accept the separation. There are many cases shown in this article where the King acted without the people’s consent or against the people’s belief. Stating these incidences gained trust that a new government set up by the people and for the people would be more prosperous. Thomas Jefferson shows that the best option for the people of America is to overthrow the government by using