Question

Jefferson is spending a lot of time in the Declaration explaining all the little things that were causing his dissatisfaction. Why do you think he spent so much time complaining about all the negative stuff the King was doing to the colonists?

A) To gain sympathy from other nations
B) To justify the decision to declare independence
C) To entertain the readers
D) To criticize the King personally

Answer 1

Jefferson detailed grievances against the King in the Declaration of Independence primarily to justify the decision to declare independence, making a legal case based on natural rights violations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason Thomas Jefferson spent so much time detailing grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence was primarily B) To justify the decision to declare independence. Jefferson, along with other founding fathers, felt it necessary to explain why the colonies had to form a new nation. They believed that the king had violated the inalienable rights of the colonists, rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which were deemed essential by the philosophy of natural rights.

The list of grievances served several purposes: it functioned as a legal indictment of the king's actions, was instrumental in the colonies' quest to seek international support, and laid the ideological groundwork for the new government based on the consent of the governed. Jefferson's extensive criticism wasn't merely complaining but was forming a coherent and principled argument for independence which would resonate with both colonists and other nations.