The primary author of the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

In the declaration, Jefferson included these words (show also in image above) \"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.\"

Throughout American history, there has been a debate as to whether Jefferson\'s statement should be held simply as an ideal to strive for or as an order that must be fulfilled.

Consider these questions:

• What did Thomas Jefferson mean by \"all men\"? Was he only concerned with white males (the dominant group of the era) or did he mean \"all people\", including women, people of color, the poor, immigrants, etc.?
• During the years leading to the Civil War (1776 to 1861), how well did the United States fulfill this ideal? Were \"all men created equal\" during this time period?

Discussion Question:

20 Points

In this discussion, present your viewpoint on the two questions above.

• Give examples to support your position.
• You will not be graded on our opinion, you will be graded on how well you present your opinion.
• Your reply should be at least 100 – 150 words in length.
• You are required to thoughtfully respond to two of the replies of your classmates. Your responses must be at least 25 words in length. The focus of your responses should be whether you agree or not with the assessment of your classmate. Provide reasons, explanations, and examples to support your opinion.