Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. were brilliant men. The Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Jefferson, and the Letter From Birmingham Jail, written by King, are perfect examples of their intellect. Looking at these documents and observing the tactics they use while attempting to move their audience toward their ultimate goal, one can see the finesse that both Jefferson and King possessed. The Declaration of Independence had aspirations of obtaining a new form …showed first 75 words of 999 total…

…showed last 75 words of 999 total…Jefferson was fighting for the freedom of the American colonists, and King was fighting for the freedom of African Americans. Each is very eloquent, and while they use many of the same tactics, including emotional, logical, and authoritative appeals, the extent to which they use them differs. While King was very in depth and direct with all of his audience, Jefferson was concise and subtle with his intentions toward the varying parts of his audience.