Question

Describe the historical context surrounding documents 1 and 2

Document 1:
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Document 2:
But there is another and greater distinction for which no truly natural or religious reason can be assigned, and that is, the distinction of men into KINGS and SUBJECTS. Male and female are the distinctions of nature, good and bad the distinctions of heaven; but how a race of men came into the world so exalted above the rest, and distinguished like some new species, is worth enquiring into, and whether they are the means of happiness or of misery to mankind . . .
To the evil of monarchy we have added that of hereditary succession; and as the first is a degradation and lessening of ourselves, so the second, claimed as a matter of right, is an insult and an imposition on posterity [future generations]. For all men being originally equals, no one by birth could have a right to set up his own family in perpetual [never ending] preference to all others for ever, and though himself might deserve some decent degree of honors of his contemporaries, yet his descendants might be far too unworthy to inherit them. One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise, she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind a donkey for a lion."

Answer 1

Documents 1 and 2 exist within the historical context of the Enlightenment and American Revolution. They emphasize the equality and inherent rights of all individuals and criticize hereditary monarchy, reflecting the emerging democratic values that led to the United States' separation from British rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

Historical Context of the Declaration of Independence

The historical context surrounding Document 1, which is the beginning of the Declaration of Independence, relates to the American colonies' need to assert their right to separate from British rule. This document outlined the philosophical framework for American independence, emphasizing that all men are created equal and possess certain unalienable rights. It was a revolutionary assertion of sovereignty and human rights as expressed in the Enlightenment ideals of the era, influenced by the political philosophy of John Locke.

Document 2 seems to criticize hereditary monarchy and the distinction between kings and subjects. This reflects the broader Enlightenment critique of traditional forms of authority and the perception that hereditary succession is an arbitrary and unjust means of governing. Both documents capture the spirit of the time, where the concept of the divine right of kings was being challenged by the ideas of self-government and basic human equality.

The final answer to the historical context surrounding documents 1 and 2 is that they represent Enlightenment ideals and a shift towards self-governance and democratic principles, which contributed to the American Revolution and the formation of the United States.