Declaration of Independence and Letter from Birmingham...

Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King Jr. are two American men who were key leaders during very controversial periods in U.S. history, and they were instrumental in movements that forever changed American society. Although their generations, cultures, backgrounds, and motives were quite different, their cause was relatively the same. It was a cause that stood against injustice, oppression, and sought the freedom of all men. Their beliefs and struggles were evident in their writings. Two of the most famous writings in particular are Declaration of Independence and Letter from Birmingham Jail. Both writings are very effective and successful in reaching out to their intended audience. However, Letter from Birmingham Jail is more†¦show more content†¦King writing this letter from behind bars. He walked the statement that he makes in the letter that says, I have tried to stand between these two forces, saying that we need emulate neither the do-nothingism of the complacen t nor the hatred and despair of the black nationalist. For there is the more excellent way of love and nonviolent protest. I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle (530). Although their cause was the same, their tactics and audience differed. Jefferson was able to use his claim of tyranny against the king, and Dr. King was able to use his humble approach and his comparisons to other men and organizations, to gain a worldwide audience in order to advance their causes. For example, Jefferson was able to rally support from the colonists and sympathy from other countries by placing the blame on King George. Jefferson justified his blame of King George by listing the kings many injustices, as well as the attempts that the colonial leaders made to communicate with King George. Using this tactic Jefferson was able to provoke the tyrant to war, prepare the colonists for war, and eventually gain an alliance with the French who helped them win the war. However, the Declaration was only targeted to the audience that would be critical in helping the colonies gain their independence. For instance, the slaves wereShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis of Letter from a Birmingham Jail Essay1090 Words   |  5 Pages Letter from a Birmingham Jail was written by Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. in April of 1963, as he sat, as the title states, in a Birmingham, Alabama jail. King had been jailed for his participation in a peaceful protest of segregation in public places such as lunch counters and public restrooms (Berkley, 2003). While jailed, King read a criticism of the protest by a group of white ministers, who felt such demonstrations â€Å"directed and in part led by outsiders† were â€Å"unwise and untimely†Read Moreï » ¿An Analysis of Letter from a Birmingham Jail1204 Words   |  5 PagesLetter from Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King Jr. As he states in the title, in a Birmingham, Alabama jail. Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed because he participated on a nonviolent protest of segregation in public places such as lunch counters and public restrooms. During his jail time, Martin Luther King Jr. read a criticism about a protest made by a group of whit e ministers, accusing King of being an outsider, of using extreme measures that incite hatred and violence, that hisRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr s Letter Of Birmingham Jail903 Words   |  4 Pagesliberty across the United States. Martin Luther King Jr’s a â€Å"letter of Birmingham Jail,† and Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence both advocate the claim for freedom. Both of these historical figures make this apparent by arguing for the protest against tradition, a change across unjust laws, although they differ between the kinds of change to be enforced. Martin Luther King Junior’s a letter from a Birmingham Jail was him expressing his motivation for the protest against traditionRead MoreMoral Responsibility1256 Words   |  6 Pagesjustice for all which is also supported by King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,† Jefferson’s â€Å" The Declaration of Independence,† and Lincoln’s â€Å"Second Inaugural Address.† I am in Birmingham because injustice is here, wrote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Letter from Birmingham Jail (King 416). Eight Alabama clergymen composed a statement urging restraint in the Civil Rights movement and the discontinuance of demonstrations in Birmingham. 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King firmly believed in what the declaration of independence had to say about the rights of men all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of HappinessRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr.976 Words   |  4 Pagesand â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† Dr. King used the rhetorical devices of anaphora, allusion, and diction to relay his thoughts of what is right, and also as a way to build a common ground with his audience. Though the rhetorical devices are shared between the two speeches, there are also several differences. The main difference between the two speeches is that in â€Å"I have a Dream† Dr. King is vocalizing his own ideas for what could become of the United States of America. In â€Å"Letter from a BirminghamRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Martin Luther Kings 1219 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluential are the best adjectives to explain Letter from Birmingham Jail. Martin Luther King Jrs astuteness is enhanced by the astonishing capability to show the unkind and heartless attitude against black community. Throughout the whole writing to the eight clergymen Jr. never get too far from the clash for fairness in Birmingham. As head of the South Christians Leadership Conferences (SCLC), Martin L. King, Junior., in the year 1963 acknowledged Birmingham, Alabama, as possibly the most carefullyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Declaration Of Independance, Ain t I A Woman, And Letters From Birmingham Jail1153 Words   |  5 Pagesvoice of a culture is through its literature, essays by american authors like The Declaration of Independance, Ain’t I a Woman, and Letters from Birmingham Jail. One important document from America is the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independance was the thirteen colonies officially breaking their ties with Great Britain. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted by Continental Congress. The Declaration of Independance was the foundation for the American government system and despite theRead MoreSimilarities between Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal1358 Words   |  6 Pagescursory analysis of Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift reveals glaring differences between the two essays. Surprisingly, a side-by-side comparison also yields many similarities between the two works. The most obvious similarity between the two essays is the overarching theme of the subject matter. In both essays, the writers address deeply-entrenched social injustices. For example, in Letter From Birmingham Jail, King, in his highly-impassioned