Declaration of Independence and Declaration of the Rights of Man

compared:

Similarities:

• Both were created by movements that started because of high and unfair tax
(3rd estate- highest tax; America – taxes on everything like tea)
• Both were created by rebellious groups that were not officially part of any
government (America- Sons of Liberty; France- National Assembly)
• Both were influenced by the Enlightenment ideas(Freedom of speech,
equality, freedom of speech, etc.)
• Both complained about same things (high taxes, unfair tax/ taxation without
representation)
• Both had same demands:
○ Freedom of speech
○ 1 of 3 inalienable rights (liberty)
○ Freedom of religion
○ Fair and equal tax
○ Redefined and reconstructed government (parliament/3 branches of
gov’t)
○ Fair and equal trial/just punishment
○ Can only use military during war, not for personal use.

Differences:

• America- Wanted to break away from GB; France – Wanted to change

government
• America- Wanted to create a separate and independent government for itself;
France – Wanted to redefine current government
• America- Emphasized freedoms and being independent more; France –
emphasized equality and fairness more
• America – Declaring that America would be it’s own nation with it’s own
government (does not really specify how government would be run, it only
said that America would make it’s own government that would be better than
GB’s); France – Stated how their government should be run or changed
(Specified exactly how government would be run)
• America- General statement saying that America would be independent with
rights GB did not allow; France- specific statement on how government should
be run