Running head: COMPARISON

Comparison between Declarations of Independence vs. Sentiments

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COMPARISON

Comparison between Declarations of Independence and Sentiments

1.

Introduction

The culture of America has been influenced by the concepts of liberty and
freedom. United States always has prided itself being the free land; a place
where all citizens have fundamental rights, the residents can seek happiness
and no unjust oppression. Despite the fact that America has been fast when
it comes about freedom, they have observed that freedom plays more ideal
culture. History of US has been flawed by unjust treatments and battle for
freedom. The founding fathers of the country made flexible ways for freedom
and wrote Declaration of Independence, even after democratic ideas of
America were resolved and written down, but still the freedom was not
allowed to all nationals. Women have faced numerous obstacles in their hunt
for freedom.
Women from Britain werent struggling for freedom; they were struggling in
their own nation for freedom. When Elizabeth Cady composed Sentiments
Declaration, she utilized Independence Declaration as a framework. Still the
freedom was the freedom however the concept of this was utilized for a
reason which was different from the ideas of founding fathers. Historical
background had been changed and with this the concept of freedom was
changed. Sentiments declaration show not just belief of America in liberty
and freedom but as well as the understanding of these beliefs may change
and can be reused for various purposes.

COMPARISON

2.

Comparisons of Declaration of independence vs. sentiments

In order to develop sense of sympathy or to derive associations between women and

remaining public of America, Elizabeth Cady Stanton followed closely the wording and
style of Independence Declaration. Thomas Jefferson wrote down that, "We hold the
truths to act self evident as every men are made equivalent." Elizabeth altered this same
sentence and said that all women and men are created equal. But the independence of
Declaration outlines that "patient sufferance of colonies", Sentiments Declaration
layouts that "Womens patient sufferance under this government."
The independence Declaration aims its objection at the Englands King and points him
by saying that, "He has blocked the Justice Administration and "He has repeatedly
dissolved Representative House." The Sentiments Declaration uses the similar style but
"He" wasnt used to point the King, but rather male oppressors. Sentiments Declaration
impersonates the style which was used in Independence Declaration to emphasize on
the reality that women are the citizens of America. Although the style stays consistent in
two reports, in declaration of sentiments, the Americans expression was different from
the Americans expression towards freedom in Declaration of Independence.

COMPARISON

Whereas the Independence declaration drafters were concerned towards

political freedom, but Elizabeth was concerned towards the concept of
marital freedom. As mentioned in Sentiments declaration, the husband is
portrayed as the master of woman- "the law providing him power to deny her
of freedom". She also wrote that, "according to the law, he made her, if
wedded, civilly dead." Now the times had changed. Residents were never
being mistreated by the British ruler; they were being persecuted by their
husbands. Stanton concentrated eagerly on the right to divorce of married
womans and has the custody of her kids. She depicts marital equivalence as
their basic freedom in America.
Women were characterized by the relationships to the men as mothers,
wives and sisters and thus couldn't define themselves in an autonomous
way. Barbara Welter defined that women are abide by "four virtues which
are, domesticity, submissiveness, purity and piety ", not by desire,
independence and assertiveness to represent herself freely. One of the facts
that women can not be represented as indepent led Elizabeth to include in
Sentiments Declaration that women have the right in a society and they can
be represented independent. Thomas Jefferson harps discussed on the
concept of no taxation with no fair representation in Independence
Declaration.

COMPARISON

3.

Conclusion

Both the Declarations i.e. sentiments and independence hold the respect and
integrity to be the main factors of liberty and freedom. They both view
respect and integrity as an important components, they take diverse ways to
deal with freedom and integrity. Independence Declaration holds that
integrity and respect are compressed upon by the taxation with no fair
representation. The sentiments declaration holds that integrity and respect
are compressed upon by keeping females from equivalent access to
profitable jobs and colleges. Whereas the independence Declaration
maintains that viewing nations as the subordinate to king is a disobedience
of basic freedom, the sentiments declaration maintains that by viewing
womens as the mens subordinate will violate the freedom. Stanton
describes in Sentiments Declaration that "He has made a false open
sentiment by providing the world an alternate code of ethics for women and
men, by which wrongdoings of moral will exclude women from the society,
as well as not just tolerated but regarded of little record in man". In
Declaration of Sentiment, it views the equality in gender as the main idea to
freedom whereas in Declaration of independence, it views equality in politics
as the main idea of freedom.

COMPARISON

References