Question

preamble

1. close reading: what are the three unalienable rights, or rights that cant be taken away or denied, listed in lines 12 and 13 of the preamble of the declaration of independence?

a)
b)
c)

1. analysis: the writers of the declaration of independence wrote that “governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” lines 14 - 16. what does this mean about the power of the government?
2. contextualization: which enlightenment ideas are reflected in this document?
3. close reading: according to the preamble, when do people have the right to abolish their government lines 16 - 18?

Explanation:

1. The unalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence preamble are explicitly stated as Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
2. When governments derive power from the consent of the governed, it means government power is legitimate only when the people consent, and is a form of popular - sovereignty.
3. Enlightenment ideas like natural rights (Life, Liberty, pursuit of Happiness), social contract (government gets power from consent of governed) and the right to revolution (when government is destructive) are reflected.
4. According to the preamble, people have the right to abolish their government when any form of government becomes destructive of the ends of securing their unalienable rights (Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness).

Answer:

1. a) Life

b) Liberty
c) The pursuit of Happiness

1. It means that the power of the government is legitimate only when it has the consent of the people it governs, representing the concept of popular - sovereignty.
2. Natural rights, social contract, and the right to revolution.
3. When any form of government becomes destructive of the ends of securing their unalienable rights (Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness).