Ap Lang and Comp - Declaration of Sentiments Vs. Declaration of Independence

Rhiannon Horn

Period 1/Skaff

AP Lang and Comp

11/3/15

Comparison

Declaration of Sentiments vs. Declaration of Independence

The United States freedom has been paved by the founding fathers when they wrote the Declaration of Independence, but even after America’s thoughts were compiled together and written, freedom was not freely given to all citizens.  Women throughout history have faced many barricades in pursuit of their freedom. When Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, she used the Declaration as her composition. Thomas Jefferson writes, “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.” Elizabeth edits this to say that all men and women are created equal.

Stanton, in order to receive sympathy and to develop connections between women and the rest of the American public, imitated the style of Jefferson of the Declaration of Independence.  The Declaration of Independence contours the “patient sufferance and the colonies”, the Declaration of Sentiments contours the “patient sufferance of women under this government.” Jefferson aims the Declaration at the King of England by saying “He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly.” Now Stanton uses this same style but the “he” is addressed to the male oppressors. Although style remains a constant factor in both documents, the expression of freedom varies from the two writers.

While the compilers of the Declaration of Independence focused on political freedom, Stanton put her concern on the idea of marital freedom. In Declaration of Sentiments, the man of the house is described as the woman’s master-“The law giving him power to deprive her of liberty.” Stanton’s message was their own husbands were oppressing citizens. She focused on a married woman’s right to divorce her husband and still have the ability to keep her children. She simulates marital equivalence as a common American freedom. Since women could not be represented, Stanton argues that women should inhibit the right to be represented independent of a man in society. Jefferson however pushes the idea of no taxation without representation. One can say that Stanton pushes the idea of representation and independence of a woman with out the need of a male figure.