Question

Use this excerpt from the U.S. Declaration of Independence to answer the following 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, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." --Public Domain In what way does this excerpt illustrate that the American break with Britain in 1776 was justified by using ideas rooted in the Enlightenment? It rejected the authority of the Church as legitimate. It rejected the authority of the monarch as legitimate. It advocated the centrality of economics to politics. It advocated the separation of religion and politics.

Answer 1

Answer: I would contend that the right answer is the B) It rejected the authority of the monarch as legitimate.

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little bit on the answer, it can be added that the authors of this text were clearly inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment, such as its criticism of the corruption of the monarchy. Rousseau, for instance, pointed out that kings had been granted power by the will of the people, not by God, and, by the same token, that people could also take their power away from them if they were not doing their job right. In this excerpt, it is said that if a government, which derives its power from the "consent of the governed," that is, from the will of the people, destructs the rights that it is meant to protect (life, liberty, and happines), then that people have the right to alter it, abolish it, or institute a new one.