There are many abstractions in the Declaration of Independence. These abstractions such as: rights, freedom, liberty and happiness have become the foundations of American society and have helped to shape the "American Identity." Power, another abstraction that reoccurs in all the major parts of the Declaration of Independence plays an equally important role in shaping "America identity." One forgets the abstraction of power, because it appears in relation to other institutions: the legislature, the King, …showed first 75 words of 1254 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1254 total…of power. Power, in the Declaration of Independence carries more than just grammatical significance to the document. It shapes the document's meaning making it philosophically harsh toward the institution of the King and tempered toward English society. -- Works Cited Wills, Garry. Inventing America. New York: Random House, 1978 Miller, James. The Passion of Michel Foucault. New York: Anchor Books, 1993 Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish. New York: Vintage Books, 1975 Oxford English Dictionary. London: Oxford University Press, 1994