Q. 08 / 128American Government → Documents & Founding Texts
Why is the Declaration of Independence important?
OFFICIAL ANSWER
- It says America is free from British control
- It says all people are created equal
- It identifies inherent rights
- It identifies individual freedoms
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Context
Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration justified the colonies' break from Britain by arguing that governments exist to protect people's inherent rights, and when a government fails to do so, the people have the right to alter or abolish it. Its assertion that "all men are created equal" became a defining ideal of American democracy, though the nation took nearly two centuries to extend these principles to all citizens regardless of race or gender.
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