Question

select the excerpt from the text that best supports the conclusion that authors of the declaration of independence were influenced by john lockes theories on natural rights.

1. prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes...
2. ...it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
3. 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.
4. ...accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable...
5. when in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...

question 2 of 50
which sentence best summarizes the central idea of the declaration of independence?

1. all people have certain natural rights and when a government tries to take these rights away, the people have the right to overthrow the government and create a new one.
2. only governments have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
3. all governments try to take away rights, so all governments are bad and should be overthrown.
4. the people should always respect and support the governments, because governments always try to protect the rights of the people.
5. governments rarely listen to the people; so they should be regularly overthrown and recreated.

Explanation:

Question 1 (Select the excerpt supporting Locke's natural rights influence)

John Locke's theory of natural rights emphasizes that individuals have inherent rights (life, liberty, property, later adapted as pursuit of happiness in the Declaration). The excerpt "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" directly mentions unalienable rights including life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, which aligns with Locke's natural rights ideas. Other options either talk about government change conditions or general justifications for dissolving political bands, not the natural rights themselves.

The Declaration of Independence states that people have natural rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) and if a government tries to usurp these rights, the people have the right to overthrow it and establish a new one. Option A says "All people have certain natural rights and when a government tries to take these rights away, the people have the right to overthrow the government and create a new one" which matches this. Option B is wrong as governments don't have those rights. Option C is wrong as it's an overgeneralization (not all governments try to take rights). Option D is wrong as the Declaration doesn't say people should always support governments. Option E is wrong as it's not about regularly overthrowing governments.

Answer:

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.

Question 2 (Which sentence best summarizes the central idea of the Declaration of Independence)