Many similarities existed between the situations of Roman conspirators in Julius Caesar’s play and those of the Declaration of Independence signers. One thing that is very similar between Julius Caesar’s personality and King George III’s is their personalities. There were many Rome men who recognized Julius Caesar’s ambition and lack of morals. Julius Caesar was a coward. He did everything to make it happen and put others in danger. King George III was also very impulsive and had poor morals. The Declaration of Independence details how King George III made colonists pay taxes without their consent. He also called in legislative bodies at “places unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or distant…for only the sole purpose of fatiguing these people into conforming with his measures.” This is a clear indication that George III was obsessed with convenience and making it easier for himself to succeed. King George III and Julius Caesar were too ambitious.
The major difference between the circumstances of Roman conspirators and King George III’s writers of the Declaration of Independence is that Julius Caesar hadn’t yet been made king when he was killed. The Declaration of Independence was written in reaction to wrongs committed. Julius Caesar’s murder was done by the conspirators as a preemptive measure for possible wrongs. Another similarity is that the Revolutionaries discussed the consequences of Julius Caesar’s death before the Declaration was made. Brutus, Cassius and others discussed the consequences of Caesar becoming king. Then they met with a group of conspirators. Before the Declaration of Independence was written each colony’s representatives met to discuss the possibility of severing all ties with England and America. Both conspirators as well as writers thought through and planned large groups of decisions.
Both the American revolutionaries’ and the Roman conspirators’ goals were similar, but different. The primary goal of the Roman conspirators were to keep Caesar’s reign from happening and to preserve the republic. The Declaration of Independence was written by people who wanted to break away the 13 colonies and form a new nation. It is clear that there are two distinct goals. The Romans wanted to keep a republic; the Americans wanted to create a new one. The Romans wanted the country to remain the same, while the Americans wanted a new nation.
The Declaration of Independence writers and the Roman conspirators wanted to save their country from an unfit King. They realized that such a ruler would make it impossible for the people to prosper. The Roman conspirators killed the potential king and the Declaration writers sent a declaration to King George declaring their independence. Both revolutionaries were motivated to save their country and had noble intentions.
There was another major difference between the two groups’ goals. The Roman conspirators wanted their would-be king to be killed, while the Declaration of Independence writers only wanted independence from the then-current ruler. But the Roman conspirators didn’t want war to begin. They believed that people would accept Caesar’s death as a fact and that they would agree that Caesar was dead. The Declaration of Independence writers knew war was inevitable. This is illustrated in the Declaration of Independence’s third paragraph “…as sovereign, free states, they are fully empowered to declare war and to end the conflict …”. While the Roman conspirators’ actions did not pose any problem, the writers’ actions were far more serious and could have caused great trouble for England and the colonies.
The methods and methods used to induce change by the conspirators and writers of Declaration of Independence differ in one key way. While the conspirators tried to kill the would be king to effect change, the Declaration writers simply sent a letter to him. The conspirators were guilty of murder and the writers committed acts of treason. Each of them brought about war and it’s difficult to say which was more brutal.
The conspirators and writers both explained their motivations to the public. This was an important method of promoting change as it required the support and encouragement of the people to make the right decisions and then fight for the opposite side. Brutus, one conspirator, made a speech informing the people about Caesar’s death and the need for change. The Declaration of Independence was published, and the colonists heard it aloud. As a way to garner support and promote change, each group gave their opinion to the public.
Another difference was that the Roman conspirators executed Caesar without trying to talk to him. While the Declaration of Independence’s writers stated, “In any stage of these Oppressions” …” the action of the conspirators was swift and extreme, while the actions of those of the writers were gradual and spread over time.
The American success in achieving change is possible due to several factors. Marc Antony, Caesar’s right-hand man, gave Brutus his speech. Marc Antony turned public opinion against conspirators, leading to people protesting against them. This ended any support for the conspirators after Brutus spoke, and made it clear that the conspirators were not trying to change the world but rather to ensure their survival. The Declaration of Independence was widely read by its authors. The Declaration listed every wrong done by King England against colonies. This helped to remind colonists or convince them of how mad they were at England. This provided immediate support for the Declaration’s writers, making it easier to fight against England. The Declaration of Independence had no counter-argument, unlike Brutus’s speech. Therefore, it had a lasting impact on people.
Another reason that the Roman conspirators failed to succeed was because they murdered a man whom the people loved. Caesar was supported by the Romans. The conspirators killed a popular figure, causing chaos and outrage. American writers focused on the fact that people were already angry at him for wrongs they had done. People were outraged at the king’s raising taxes and for forcing them into their homes to install soldiers. The Declaration of Independence’s writers reminded them of their wrongdoings. This helped the public rally behind them and their cause. The Roman people didn’t agree with the conspirators, but the Declaration of Independence writers succeeded by focusing on a cause that was already raging within the American people for some time.
Many similarities exist between the situations of writers of Declaration of Independence and Roman conspirators. These include their goals and methods for attempting to create change. There were many differences in the situations, goals and methods of the Roman conspirators and American writers, which led to their failure and success in trying to change the world.
