When CarlL. Becker's classic study of the text of the Declaration of Independencefirst appeared in 1922, it marked a great departure from the passionateand patriotic tenor of many existing historical analyses. Becker claimshis work was well received by all reviewers save one, who criticizedits preoccupation with hard cold documents. In the 1941 introduction tothis edition, Becker defends his approach, stating: "I was aware thatmen had bled and died for freedom.... But on this occasion I chose towrite a book about the document itself ... a state paper of sufficientrenown to be classed with the world's classics of political literature."Becker describes the rhythm of the first line of theDeclaration of Independence as "that felicitous, haunting cadence whichis the peculiar quality of Jefferson's best writing." He goes on todefine the purpose of the document, its views, where those views arose,and how succeeding generations have accepted or modified them. Chapterssuch as "Historical Antecedents of the Declaration: The Natural RightsPhilosophy," "Drafting the Declaration; The Literary Qualities of theDeclaration," and "The Philosophy of the Declaration in the NineteenthCentury" distinguish this book as one of the most complete studies ofAmerica's--and arguably the world's--most important historical document.