Answer:
Part 1: Organization of the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is divided into three main parts: the preamble, the list of grievances, and the conclusion.
1. Preamble: The preamble states the reasons why the Continental Congress felt it was necessary to declare independence from Great Britain. It starts with the famous phrase "When in the course of human events" and goes on to explain that it is necessary for the colonies to dissolve their political ties with Great Britain.
2. List of Grievances: The list of grievances outlines the specific complaints that the colonists had against the British government. It includes a long list of abuses and violations of their rights, such as taxation without representation, the quartering of troops in private homes, and the denial of trial by jury.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion asserts the colonies' right to be free and independent states and declares that they are "absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown." It also announces the formation of a new nation, the United States of America.
Part 2: Practical Purpose of the Organization
The organization of the Declaration of Independence served a practical purpose by laying out a clear and concise argument for why the colonies were justified in declaring independence from Great Britain. By starting with the preamble, the document establishes the philosophical basis for independence, while the list of grievances provides specific evidence to support the colonists' claims. The conclusion then wraps up the argument by asserting the colonies' right to self-determination and announcing the formation of a new nation.
Part 3: William Murray, Earl of Mansfield and the Right to Tax the Colonies
William Murray, Earl of Mansfield, was a British jurist who argued that Parliament had the right to tax the American colonies. Mansfield believed that Parliament had the power to tax the colonies because they were represented in Parliament through their British representatives. He argued that the colonists were "virtually" represented in Parliament, even though they did not have direct representation.
While Mansfield's argument may have been legally sound, it did not take into account the colonists' perspective on the issue of taxation without representation. The colonists believed that they should not be taxed by a government in which they had no direct representation, and they felt that they were being denied their basic rights as English citizens.
In my opinion, Mansfield's arguments were not reasonable because they ignored the colonists' legitimate grievances and failed to take into account the practical realities of colonial life. While the colonists may have been "virtually" represented in Parliament, they had no real say in the decisions that affected their lives and communities. The colonists' objections to taxation without representation were a key factor in the decision to declare independence and establish a new nation based on the principles of democracy and self-determination.