What word is not used in the Declaration of Independence?
Asked by: Elaina Ferry IV | Last update: February 7, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (26 votes)
A surprising word not in the Declaration of Independence is "democracy," though the document does use "independent" in different forms and famously replaced the word "subjects" with "citizens" in early drafts, showing a move away from monarchical terms. The Declaration focuses on establishing the colonies as free states, not necessarily defining a specific "democratic" system, and the Founders were cautious about pure democracy.
Is there a misspelled word in the Declaration of Independence?
Spelling and capitalization
Make no mistake: a few words here and there in the Declaration of Independence are absolutely misspelled by today's standards. “Hath shewn,” “compleat,” and “Brittish” are the main offenders. The spelling of these words reveals a connection to the Middle English of Chaucer's time.
What are the words in the Declaration of Independence?
The Declaration of Independence is famous for key phrases like "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that 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 Happiness," and its declaration that the colonies are "Free and Independent States," absolved from British rule, asserting the right to levy war, conclude peace, and form alliances. The document, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, outlines natural rights, lists grievances against King George III, and culminates in the formal separation from Great Britain, using words like "tyranny," "usurpation," and "despotism" to describe British actions, per the National Archives transcript of the Declaration of Independence.
What word is misspelled in the Constitution?
Of the spelling errors in the Constitution, PENSYLVANIA above the signers' names is probably the most glaring because today, Pennsylvania is spelled with two Ns; in 1781, the spelling with one N is also correct.
What major word does not appear in the US Constitution?
The word "democracy" does not appear once in the Constitution.
What you might not know about the Declaration of Independence - Kenneth C. Davis
Is the f word protected speech?
Yes, the "f-word" (profanity/obscenity) is generally protected speech under the First Amendment, as the Supreme Court has ruled that offensive or vulgar words alone aren't enough to restrict speech; however, it loses protection if it crosses into unprotected categories like "fighting words" (direct personal insults likely to provoke violence), true threats, or is part of obscenity, though courts have narrowed these exceptions significantly, as seen in the Brandi Levy case where school-related online swearing was protected.
Why is part 7 removed?
Ans. Part 7 dealt with Part-B states. After the 7th Constitutional Amendment, 1956, Part-B states were merged with others, making this part redundant, so it was repealed.
What is the most glaring error in the Constitution?
🔍 A Hidden Spelling Error Even the Constitution has typos! The most glaring? "Pensylvania" is misspelled above the signers' names.
What is only 52 words long in the Constitution?
The preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land; it is not the law. It does not define government powers or individual rights. Establish Justice is the first of five objectives outlined in the 52-word paragraph that the Framers drafted in six weeks during the hot Philadelphia summer of 1787.
What word is spelled wrong on the Liberty Bell?
Eagle-eyed visitors to the Liberty Bell Center will note that Pennsylvania, the icon's home since it was cast in 1752, is misspelled on the bell as "Pensylvania." Historians of orthography, however, will retort that the spelling was an acceptable variant in the 18th century.
What was the deleted passage in the Declaration of Independence?
The deleted words — beginning with “He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him …” — were a condemnation of George III, “the Christian King of Great Britain,” and his participation in and perpetuation ...
What famous phrase is included in the Declaration of Independence?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that 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 Happiness.
What is the most used word in the Declaration of Independence?
The most common word in the Declaration of Independence – after “and,” “the” and “for,” is “he.” And we all know who “he” is, right? You might think, given the prevalence of the word “he” that the Founders intended to declare independence from King George III.
Is there a typo in the Declaration of Independence?
OK, nobody panic, but there may be a typo in the Declaration of Independence. Researcher Danielle Allen believes a mark, long believed to be a period, is not a period at all. And the difference changes one of the most important lines of the document, according to The New York Times.
What is the rarest signature on the Declaration of Independence?
The rarest signature on the Declaration of Independence belongs to Button Gwinnett, a signer from Georgia, due to his relative obscurity, short life (killed in a duel shortly after signing), and a fire that destroyed many of his papers, leaving only about 51 known examples of his signature, making it incredibly valuable to collectors. While Thomas Lynch, Jr. is also considered extremely rare, Gwinnett's signature is generally seen as the most elusive and valuable.
Which phrase is not true of the Declaration of Independence?
The phrase 'Great Britain will give up control over the colonies' is NOT true regarding the Declaration of Independence. While the Declaration announced the colonies' intention to separate from Britain and listed grievances against the King, it did not guarantee that Britain would relinquish control.
Which word is never used in the U.S. Constitution?
The word slavery is the correct answer as it is never explicitly used in the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution, drafted in 1787, addressed the issue of enslaved individuals without directly mentioning the term 'slavery.
What is the shortest Constitution?
The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution of any country in the world, with 146,385 words in its English-language version, while the Constitution of Monaco is the shortest written constitution with 3,814 words.
Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?
No, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention God or a supreme being in its main text, a deliberate choice by the Founding Fathers to establish a secular government and protect religious freedom, though it does contain a date reference ("Year of our Lord") and the First Amendment prevents religious tests for office, reflecting a consensus on separation of church and state despite their personal faith.
What is the most misunderstood amendment?
609 (2021). Abstract: The Eleventh Amendment might be the most misunderstood amendment to the Constitution.
What is the harmless constitutional error?
Known as "harmless error," this statutory doctrine allows a court to affirm a conviction when a mere technicality or minor defect did not affect the defendant's substantial rights. The doctrine aims to promote judicial efficiency and judgment finality.
What is the hardest Constitution to amend?
Far from being a badge of honor, the distinction of topping the global charts on constitutional rigidity is cause for alarm. Ancient and virtually impervious to amendment, the United States Constitution has withstood all modern efforts to renovate its outdated architecture on elections, federalism, rights, and beyond.
What is article number 7?
Article 7 of Indian Constitution deals with the complex migration issues that followed Partition . It aims to set clear criteria for determining who retains Indian citizenship . Key Provisions: No Citizenship: Post-March 1 migrants to Pakistan are not Indian citizens.
Why is the 7th Amendment not incorporated?
history of this amendment and the Court's jurisprudence in this area show that the Seventh Amendment provision of civil jury trials should remain unincorporated as to the states. A. Non-Incorporation Is Consistent With The History And Purpose Of The Seventh Amendment And The Court's Older Jurisprudence.
How many parts are there in the Indian Constitution in 2025?
When the Constitution was adopted on 26th November 1949, it contained 3 95 articles divided into 22 parts and 8 schedules. Over the years, amendments have added, deleted, or modified several articles. Today, there are 448 articles arranged in 25 parts along with 12 schedules and 106 amendments (as of January 2025).