Question

Summarize how the Declaration of Independence embodies social contract theory in action.
Responses

The Declaration of Independence was the first U.S. Constitution.
The Declaration of Independence was the first U.S. Constitution.

The Declaration of Independence lists all of the ways that the colonists felt their liberties had been violated by the king.
The Declaration of Independence lists all of the ways that the colonists felt their liberties had been violated by the king.

The Declaration of Independence lists the how the monarchy protected the people.
The Declaration of Independence lists the how the monarchy protected the people.

The Declaration of Independence describes how the United States government is arranged.

Answer 1

The Declaration of Independence embodies social contract theory by asserting the fundamental principle that governments are established to protect the rights and liberties of the governed. It outlines how the colonists felt their rights had been violated by the king, illustrating a breach of the social contract. The document emphasizes that when a government fails to serve its purpose, the people have the right to alter or abolish it, reflecting the belief that authority derives from the consent of the governed. Thus, it serves as a declaration of the colonists' decision to form a new government that would uphold their rights and liberties, in line with social contract theory.