Declaration of Independence

Which of the four main ideas means, "If the government does not protect the rights of the people, it is the right of the people to change their government"?

"Whenever any form of governments becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it"

What concludes the Declaration of Independence?

A formal statement declaring the colonists' independence from England

What is the "fundamental principle of American Government"?

All men are created equal

Which group is represented in the statement, "All men are created equal"?

All white men who owned land

Common Sense was written to

Encourage colonists to fight for independence

What is liberty?

Freedom

What do inalienable rights mean?

If you are born in the United States no one can take away your rights

Against whom were grievances listed?

King George III

What three inalienable rights are you endowed with according to the Declaration of Independence?

Life, liberty, and the pursuit to happiness

What does "to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, derived among men, deriving their just powers from the governed" mean?

The purpose of government is to protect the rights of the people

What is the pursuit of happiness?

The right to live a life that makes you happy

Who is responsible for writing MOST of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

Who was the author of "Common Sense"?

Thomas Paine

Why was it important to list grievances in the Declaration of Independence?

To prove colonists' rights had been violated and they had the right to form a new government

Which groups were excluded in the statement, "All men are created equal"?

Women and African Americans