The Declaration Of The Rights Of Women - 1307 Words

In three documents associated with historical revolutions, Thomas Jefferson’s The Declaration of Independence, the French National Assembly’s The Declaration of the Rights of Man, and Olympe de Gouges’ The Declaration of the Rights of Women, readers are presented with the markedly different perspectives on revolution and reform that their authors held, painting a picture of ideals in revolutions separated by both an ocean and an inherent difference in perceptible motivation. Though each document mentioned is notably more progressive than the last in its criticisms of social inequalities, with The Declaration of the Rights of Man advocating for social justice at the outset, and The Declaration of Independence making no mention of social†¦show more content†¦Steeped in language of the Enlightenment, what are perhaps the document’s most famous words come early in the document: We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. (Kishlansky 98) Here, Jefferson draws from the writings of English philosopher John Locke, who wrote in his 1689 Treatise on Government of man’s right to preserve his, â€Å"life, liberty, and estate† (Kishlansky 28). Notably, however, Jefferson changes â€Å"estate† to â€Å"pursuit of Happiness.† While his motivations in doing so cannot be fully known, the idea that this was done in an attempt to conceal the financial nature of Jefferson’s and the other landowner’s concerns under the guise of philosophical principle is supported by the nature of the concerns which the author later details in his list of â€Å"abuses and usurpations† (Kishlansky 99), as deep amidst this list, which deals predominately with what Jefferson and other colonial legislators saw as an undermining of their legislative and sovereign authority by their British overlords, is nestled the crown’s offense of â€Å"imposing taxes on us without our Consent† (Kishlansky 99). The position of this abuse in the middle of the list, as opposed to on either end, speaks perhaps to Jefferson’s not wanting it toShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of The Rights Of Women1237 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Women†, written by Olympe De Gouges, is a document that proves how in the 1790’ s women were trying to break-free from the belief that men have all the rights. This document was published in 1791 and it was made in comparison to the â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man† which was published in 1789. Olympe De Gouges wrote this document because she felt that despite having the French Revolution women were not receiving the rights they deserve. In the â€Å"Declaration of theRead MoreUniversal Declaration of Human Rights and Muslim Women785 Words   |  3 Pages(2011, 440) states that, â€Å"While women, like men, have an interest in enjoying ‘an elemental capacity for self-direction,’ the importance of this capacity is not conceded by all cultures.† It is important to note the significant influence culture has on women’s rights issues. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) raised a variety of questions dealing with the inference of the term â€Å"universal.† It infers that the declaration is meant to represent human rights in all countries, including thoseRead MoreThe Declaration Of Rights Of Women And A Public Speech By Frederick Douglass933 Words   |  4 Pagestowards democracy. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was announced in 1789, was arguably the foundations of the human rights and many constitutions in democratic countries like the Britain and America. 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The message said â€Å"A Convention to discuss the social, civil, andRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Beijing Declaration Of Indigenous Women1195 Words   |  5 Pageswhere thousands of women gathered to attend two significant events: The 1995 NGO Forum on Women and the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women.Approximately 31,000 women from more than 200 countries at tended the nongovernmental organization forum, compelled by the need to join the fast-growing, worldwide network of women who were determined to achieve equality, development, and peace. In the NGO Forum, UN fourth World conference on women in Huairou, Beijing, PROC, the primitive women present had comeRead MoreThe Declaration Of Sentiments By Elizabeth Cady Stanton1225 Words   |  5 Pages27 January 2015 Essay Contest: The Declaration of Sentiments In the Declaration of Sentiments, author Elizabeth Cady Stanton expresses her anger of the oppression experienced by women in the United States. 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