What is the difference between the Declaration of Sentiments and the Declaration of Independence?

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...

The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.

He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice.

He has withheld from her rights which are given to the most ignorant and degraded men—both natives and foreigners.

Having deprived her of this first right of a citizen, the elective franchise, thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.

He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.

He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns.

He has made her, morally, an irresponsible being, as she can commit many crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband. In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master—the law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.

He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce; in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given, as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of women—the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands.

After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single, and the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it.

He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration.

He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction which he considers most honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.

He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education, all colleges being closed against her.

He allows her in Church, as well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the Church.

He has created a false public sentiment, by giving to the world a different code of morals for men and women, by which moral delinquencies which exclude women from society, are not only tolerated, but deemed of little account in man.

He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and to her God.  

He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.

Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country, their social and religious degradation—in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States.

In entering upon the great work before us, we anticipate no small amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every instrumentality within our power to effect our object. We shall employ agents, circulate tracts, petition the State and national [sic] Legislatures, and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf. We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions embracing every part of the country.
 

Planning a lesson or unit on rights? Try grouping this text with An Excerpt from the United States Declaration of Independence.

When Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments she used the Declaration of Independence as a framework. It is no exaggeration to say, she doubtlessly follows the style and wording of the Declaration of Independence closely. It is a well known fact that the way they are written possess an almost identical pattern. Thomas Jefferson writes, “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton edits this same sentence to say that all men and women are created equal. This leads us to the question whether what are the similarities of the concerns reflected in both documents? In my opinion it is hard to find a identical purpose. Comparing the Declaration of Sentiments to the Declaration of Independence to the first and probably most matching similarity that comes to my mind is the fact that in both documents someone has the purpose to achieve inalienable rights – Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. It is in each case there is a different “someone” wanting to pursue these inalienable rights for different causes. Thomas Jefferson’s declares it for political causes. Changing historical context the ideas of freedom and liberty change. The Declaration of Independence was written during a time when freedom meant political justice. The Declaration of Sentiments was written during a time when freedom meant equality among genders. However, freedom and liberty will always be freedom and liberty.

Nevertheless, there is a opportunity to open interpretation for each individual. So, Stanton uses the famous pattern of the Declaration of Independence, maybe also in order to obtain more power being connected automatically to this legendary document, but she exactly uses that instance for women’s advantage. Stanton is willing to receive what the Declaration of Independence basically demands BUT for women  Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness! As I mentioned before, she uses many quotes for women’s advantage by paraphrasing it and within that she reminds the government “all men are created equal”. Moreover, this includes women as well. Besides, in both documents there are people suffering because of suboptimal circumstances. Whereas the Declaration of Independence outlines the “patient sufferance of the colonies”, the Declaration of Sentiments outlines the “patient sufferance of women under this government.”

To sum this up there are definitely similarities but they are leaded by different kinds of ambition. One should not forget that these declarations were written under different historical backgrounds and suffrages under different authorities.

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 The three documents Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women, “The Declaration of Independence” and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are very important documents in history.  These three documents were written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Thomas Jefferson, and the U.N General Assembly. These documents all have similarities and differences. They are all similar because they were made to help people live in a more just society. They are different because they each represent different people. The first document  The Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women represents women, the second documents “The Declaration of Independence” represents the people of the America. The third documents Universal Declaration of Human Rights represents the rights of the people that live in the countries that belong to the U.N (United Nations).

The documents “Declaration of Independence”, the Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights all represent different people. “The Declaration of Independence” represents the people of America. The Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women  represents women. Last but not least, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights represents all the people that are in the U. N.  All three state how the people they are representing have been mistreated, and deprived of the  basic human rights every human deserves. “Present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over the States”(Jefferson). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has a whole list of rights such as Article 1 “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”(U.N). The Declaration of Sentiments sais “mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man towards women”(Stanton).  Thomas Jefferson is angry at the  King of England, and Elizabeth Stanton is angry at men in general for treating women as second class citizens.

“The Declaration of Independence” and the Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women are alike, because both documents begin by saying “When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary”(Stanton and Jefferson) then, after a few paragraphs, both document present a list of grievances.  Elizabeth Stanton most likely got her inspiration from the Declaration of Independence since it is a important part of history. “The Declaration of Independence” lists how they have been unfairly treated by the King of England, and it has a  list of grievances that state  how the king has treated them as second class citizens. In The Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women Elizabeth Cady Stanton states how men in general have wronged women in the past.

 The Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women and “The Declaration of Independence” differs from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Both the “Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women” and “The Declaration of Independence” represent people that want a change in the way they are being treated. Both authors seem to be very angry with the way things were being run. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not wanting or asking for a change, instead it gives a list of the rights that people have in being part of the United Nations. These rights were made to help people live a better and happier life.

The documents stated above all have their similarities and differences. They were all created to help people be treated properly, and they all in some way have inspired change soon or later. These all matter today because the United States of America is based on all three of these documents. If Thomas Jefferson hadn't written “The Declaration of Independence” America might still be under English control, the Declaration of Sentiments Urged Equal Rights for Women urged for rights that women now have, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has many of our rights listed in it.