The presentation of the artcile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The presentation of the artcile - Essay Example First, she claims that happiness entails a personal satisfaction that stops with an individual, and even personal pleasure and joy (Wolf 633). Secondly, she argues that the majority of Americans have a differing interpretation of Declaration of Independence; could mean just pleasures of shopping and team sports. Moreover, she points out that Jefferson and other founders of America consider happiness â€Å"as a fortunate state of enfranchisement in the context of an open, just society.† (Wolf 633). The argument was derived from Greeks who considered happiness as the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence in a life affording them scope.† (Wolf 633). For instance, Jefferson argues that Americans can achieve happiness in that they can rectify or amend their constitution whenever necessary thereby, being able to secure the happiness of Americans. Wolf supports Jefferson’s interpretation of â€Å"happiness in the context of honesty, kindness, and respect for others’ personal and religious freedoms† (Wolf 633). Therefore, Wolf supports various viewpoints including Jefferson’s ideas concerning the Declaration of Independence. Her claims are based on policies of government established by the people. The people, therefore have a duty to destroy the government in case it attempts to â€Å"destroy the goals of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness† (Wolf 634). Afterwards, they can create a government that guarantees safety and good fortune. She concedes that Americans should champion for liberty by acknowledging and supporting Thomas Jefferson’s stance on Declaration of Independence which, recognizes the existence of certain unalienable human rights including â€Å"Life, Liberty, as well as Pursuit of Happiness†(Wolf 632). Such rights should be guarded by a government established by the people and failure to which, the people can â€Å"alter or abolish

The Era of Reconstruction in American History and its Aftermath Essay - 1

The Era of Reconstruction in American History and its Aftermath - Essay Example The proposal culminated in the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, which formally abolished slavery in America. After the demise of Abraham Lincoln, who was the champion of reconstruction, Andrew Johnson continued his policies and vowed to abolish slavery altogether and reconstruct America. Various states moved fast to institute fundamental laws that curtailed the full acquisition of the rights of slaves. Mississippi quickly instituted the anti-black codes limiting the free movement of the freed slaves (Franklin 210). The Civil Rights Act occasioned a move by the Congress further to assert the changing status of former slaves. The Civil Rights Act conferred on former slaves the right to own and transfer property and the right to equal treatment as the white Americans. However, even with the ratification of the civil rights act, the definition of a â€Å"citizen† still remained obscured. In an affirmative move, the Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1867. The fundamental aim of the 14th amendment was to confer liberty and citizenship to the freed slaves. Prior formation of the civil rights act, various states employed various attempts to limit the freedom of former slaves. For instance, Louisiana adopted the grandfather clause that only allowed men to vote if their grandfathers were eligible voters prior to the civil war. The blacks in the south responded to these limitations by the states through mass migrations to the urban northern states. However, in a tactical move to stifle the interests of freed slaves, Washington in his Atlanta Compromise asserted the need for the slaves to engage in economic production and disenfranchise from social agitation. Du Bois philosophically attacked Washington for his stance against the freed slaves. In his â€Å"the souls of Black folks,† Du Bois agitated not only for education but equal access to education for the blacks (Franklin 254). He strongly expressed