Declaration of Indepdence Competing Interpretations SAQ

It seemed clear to the educated, upper-class colonists that something needed to be done to persuade the lower class to join the revolutionary cause, to direct their anger against England. The solution was to find language inspiring to all classes, specific enough in its listing of grievances to fill people with anger against the British, vague enough to avoid class conflict, and stirring enough to build patriotic feelings. Everything the Declaration of Independence was about – the peoples’ control over government, the right of rebellion & revolution, fury at tyranny, economic burdens, and military attacks– was well suited to unite large numbers of colonists and persuade even those who had grievances against one another to turn against England. Some Americans were clearly omitted from those united by the Declaration of Independence…

• Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States

[The founding fathers looked] around and said, we don’t like this world. So it starts, “When in the course of human events.” It’s a diagnosis of a problematic state of affairs. The problematic state of affairs is that the British government is not securing the rights of the colonists as they understood them. They understood their rights through a long history of thinking about the rights of Englishmen. Specifically, they thought the crown was violating those rights, and they sought an alternative. They had pursued petitions for change internally to the system for a long time, and after 10 years of efforts, they’d reached the point where they thought it was time to start something new. So at its core, the Declaration is a diagnosis and a prescription of a forward path based on independence. It’s also a justification of self-governance on the grounds that human beings are best off when they can govern themselves.

• Danielle Allen, “Interview,” The New York Times

Briefly describe one major difference between Zinn’s and Allen’s historical interpretations of the Declaration of Independence.

Briefly explain how one historical event or development in the period from 1750 to 1800 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Zinn’s interpretation.

Briefly explain how one historical event or development in the period from 1750 to 1800 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Allen’s interpretation.