The Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson

Write a response 100 words
Colson
Thomas Jefferson is one of the most famous and influential individuals in not just American history, but in Western history as well. Born in 1743, Thomas Jefferson is one of the foremost of the founding fathers. During the Revolutionary War, he served as a representative of Virginia in the Continental Congress, served as the main author of the Declaration of Independence, and served as Governor of Virginia, and would later serve as the first Secretary of State under George Washington, Vice President to John Adams, and then as the third President of the United States.
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in Western History, having served as the inspiration and often times direct example of numerous other declarations of independence throughout South and Central America, Africa, and Europe. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and John Adams during a time when Great Britain was taking almost unilateral steps to escalate the conflict between the Colonies and the Crown. Around this time as well, Thomas Paine had arrived in the colonies from Great Britain and published another extraordinarily famous work, Common Sense, which argued passionately (and very successfully) in favor of American independence. Thomas Jefferson, like many others in the Continental Congress, was persuaded to pursue independence.
The document strongly reflects enlightenment thinking at the time, and though it was heavily altered by Congress prior to its publishing, much of Jefferson's draft still survives in the document. The document reads as much as a declaration of ideals and beliefs as much as it does intent, and the most important line "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal…" is a direct reflection of Jefferson's (and others) belief that the colonists were not treated as equals by Parliament or King George, and that independence would be there way of achieving this ideal.
I can relate very well to the Declaration of Independence and to Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration of Independence directly influenced and guided the creation of the Constitution, both documents which I support wholly. Additionally, I believe in many of the political and social philosophies and beliefs Thomas Jefferson supported or believed in during his lifetime, and I understand the value of these beliefs and philosophies.