Reading
The Declaration of Independence Excerpt
This short excerpt from the Declaration of Independence allows students to explore the ideals within the founding document.
- We hold these truths to be self-evident (obvious), that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable (cannot be taken away) 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.
How to Cite This Reading
Facing History & Ourselves, “The Declaration of Independence Excerpt”, last updated November 29, 2022.
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