The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, left both a significant and bold impact on the history of this world. In truth, it's writing was for the sole purpose of stating the reasons for a need for independence from the British Empire and listing the grievances for which drove them. However, the ring from this bell echoed on into history to influence such documents as the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and many other revolutionary based documents.
             Many of the old ideas found in the Declaration of Independence surround the general idea of self-government and popular sovereignty. Thomas Jefferson expressed the belief in and need for the colonies to be able to pass their own laws and be tried by their juries. He also recognized the need for taxation, but for taxation with representation. Above all these, Thomas Jefferson stressed the need for the people to be able to represent themselves in a representative government.
             This brought about the introduction and foundation to a new form a government, a government in which power flowed from the people, not a monarch. This new form of government, first introduced by Thomas Paine, would become known as a democratic republic. This idea of "Republicanism" was a new and radical idea that laid its foundation in the Declaration of Independence.
             One specific line of the Declaration of Independence has taken on a drastically different meaning from its original and historic context. This would be the line that reads, "All men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." At the time of its writing, "men" consisted of only white males that owned property. Now, as everyone knows, events have changed social history and in the same token have changed the context of this statement. "Men" now refers to all people. This includes all male and females of all ethnicities...