HIST-8 Final

To what extent did the Declaration of Independence define the foundation of American Government? In what ways was the intent of the Declaration of Independence unfulfilled? Please explain your views by supporting your perspective with the historical facts.
In 1776, the Declaration of Independence ensured that some American states were salvaged from British rule and oppression. To be precise, the document was drafted on July 4th. It defined the foundation of America’s government because America also achieved its independence on 4th July. Through the Declaration of Independence, Americans enjoyed an equitable system due to this document’s affiliation with democracy and its tenets. By eradicating prevalence of dictatorial systems, it is salient that the Declaration of Independence was a significant document in founding the American Government.
Even if the 1776 document led to democratic systems, its intent was not fulfilled holistically. Apart from fighting British rule, the document was also supposed to bring about equality and justice in America. Introducing democratic systems was, however, not enough for Americans to achieve equal treatment. Women were still considered inferior in comparison to their male counterparts. It is unfortunate that their social, economic and political lives were dismissed simply because they were female in nature. These instances are a clear indication of the document’s unfulfilling nature. It was unable to boycott discrimination against women, thereby, contradicting the efficiency of America’s renowned document, The Declaration of Independence.

During the 18th century, women were not allowed to vote simply because of their sex. Men were preferred and considered more superior thus depicting the failure of The Declaration of Independence in fulfilling its intentions. The historical portrayal of females, therefore, validates these shortcomings surrounding Thomas Jefferson’s 18th century document, The Declaration of Independence.
As the United States expanded west into newly acquired territories, issues arose regarding the question of slavery which gave rise to heated national debates. As you know, the American Civil War arose out of a number of failed compromises that pushed regional differences to the forefront. Was the Civil War inevitable? How might it have been avoided? Additionally, was slavery the primary cause of the Civil War or were there other matters that caused the conflict?
The Civil War was inevitable. It was impossible to avoid conflicts and altercations due to the rampancy of slave trade. The heated rift between Northern and Southern America was a premonition of the Civil War in America. Before its prevalence, the two groups fought constantly because the Southerners sold individuals into slavery. It was indeed ineluctable for Americans to employ violent acts as a way of reacting to slave trade. Without the Civil War, these Southerners would not understand the dire effects caused by exposing folk to slavery. It is also inevitable because of the evident relationship between Civil War and slave trade. Unlike individuals adhering to bad scholarship, it is important to understand that the war was perpetrated to fight against slavery.
Despite its inevitability, the Civil War could have been avoided if there was an existence of equality and justice in America. The citizens from South America hired slaves because of the issue of class-consciousness. There are groups of folk that regarded their superiority at the expense of other people’s livelihoods. Treating each member equally would lead to a disruption of the slave institution. As a result, no parties would be driven to engage in wars and conflicts. To be precise, without the prevalence of slave trade; America would not have experienced the Civil War. If slave trade was rendered illegal by the government, the Civil War would have been avoided. There would be no slaves working in the Southerners’ large farms.
It is, therefore, safe to assume that America’s government may have perpetrated the Civil War in America. President Abraham Lincoln’s initiatives proved null during the time. If his government paid more attention to the negative effects of slave trade, they would have prevented it and avoided the American Civil War. Lincoln was not inclined toward leading Americans into freedom and liberty; concepts that were clouded and compromised by the oppressive nature of slave trade. Apart from equality and justice, the existence of competent governmental systems could have assisted Americans in avoiding the Civil War.
Inasmuch as there were other matters causing the Civil War, slavery may have been the primary cause of America’s Civil War. It is not coincidental that Americans began relying on wars and violence during the existence of slavery, the oppressive institution. Delving deeper into the issue of slave trade, individuals understand various controversies surrounding the same. These differences in beliefs about slavery may have led to the Civil War as a result of people’s retaliation. As seen, Northerners were not in support of Southerners as well as their involvement in the institution of slave trade.
President Lincoln’s government, as noted, did not dwell on rectifying the anomalies brought about by slavery in America. It is quite unfortunate that the President did not dwell on the challenges and issues caused by slave trade. These citizens, therefore, depicted their disappointment by breaking into the Civil War. Their actions are a clear indication of the involvement of slavery in understanding the root cause of America’s Civil War. America’s Civil War was also perpetrated by Lincoln’s oppressive government. Instead of spreading democratic polices in the nation, his systems focused on capitalistic ideas; thereby, accentuating the concept of individualism in America. Such issues led to segregation and inequality in the society hence; forcing some American citizens to retaliate by triggering the Civil War. Even if slavery was the primary cause of the Civil War, it is important to create a relationship between oppressive policies and their influence on the American Civil War.
Bibliography
Armitage, David. 2007. The Declaration of Independence: a global history. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
Arnold, James R., and Roberta Wiener. 2011. American Civil War: the essential reference guide. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.
Blight, David W. 2002. Beyond the battlefield: race, memory, & the American Civil War. Amherst [u.a.]: University of Massachusetts Press.
Hartz, Emily. 2013. From the American Civil War to the War on Terror: three models of emergency law in the United States Supreme Court. Berlin: Springer.
Viegas, Jennifer. 2003. The Declaration of Independence: a primary source investigation into the action of the Second Continental Congress. New York: Rosen Primary Source.
Wills, Garry. 2002. Inventing America: Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.