Question

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government… Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient (temporary) causes… But when a long train of abuses… reduce them under absolute Despotism (abuse of power), it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

- Declaration of Independence, 1776

According to the text from the Declaration of Independence what should be the source of government power?

The authors of the Declaration
Government leaders
The legislative branch
The people who are governed

Answer 1

Government leaders is the answer

Answer 2

D - the people who are governed are the source of government power.

In the line in the second paragraph 'deriving their just powers from the consent of the goverened' they are stating that it is the people who give the government their power.