The audiences that both The Declaration and Second Treatises are intended to reach are different. The Declaration is intended for the people of the representatives that signed it and the current population at that time in America. Second Treatises intended audience is more for any people of any land that struggle with power and how we should use power. In short The Declaration is aimed at a very specific audience and the Second Treaties is more general.
The titles of the two writings also play a pivotal role in understanding what their respective intentions are. The Declration is just what it says it is, a declaration of many people that intend to start and become a new government. It does lay down a set of rules to an extent but it also proves the desires and intentions of the undersigned. In Locke’s Second Treaties he follows a more strict form of writing and desires to set out rules for any future set of people or government to follow.
References:
Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. 1690. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from:
http://ecampus.uwyo.edu/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=2609764&47=1126592&dt=10%2F22%2F2006+8%3A32%3A12+PM&UnitNumber=9&COID=57&UDPK=23683081&UPK=4490939&bhcp=1
Jefferson, T. (1776). Declaration of Independence. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from: http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html
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The intended audience for Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was the "candid world", not the King of England (since he was referred to in the text - paragraph two), but the document was sent to the King. John Locke's audience was apparently anyone who would listen, namely malcontents who opposed absolute authority of a monarchy. Locke preceeded Jefferson by a century. He felt that mankind does not naturally consist of inferiors and superiors. It was not clear if Locke owned slaves, but his writing stated that he felt slavery was justified if war was made against an unjust aggressor, and those aggressors subsequently lost the war, becoming slaves of the just defenders (3.2 Human Nature and God's Purposes). Jefferson, on the other hand, agreed with Locke in principal regarding equality, but did own slaves. Therefore, Jefferson felt equality was meant for his kind, even though his slaves were not obtained through war. It is on this point the men disagreed.
Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. 1690. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from:
http://ecampus.uwyo.edu/
Jefferson, T. (1776). Declaration of Independence. Retrieved on October 26, 2007 from: http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-
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