Question

Using the document below, rewrite THE FIRST TWO paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, replacing confusing or antiqued (words out of date/old) words with accurate modern language conveying the same meaning. Be careful not to distort or change the intent and meaning behind each sentence. As you are doing this, consider carefully the intent the author had with his word choice (diction).

Answer 1

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for a people to end the political ties that have connected them to another, and to take among the powers of the earth an equal and independent position to which the laws of nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, respect for the opinions of humankind requires that they explain the reasons that compel their separation.

We consider these truths to be obvious: that all people are created equal, that they are given by their Creator certain rights that cannot be taken away — among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. To protect these rights, governments are established among people, and they get their just powers from the consent of the governed. If any form of government becomes destructive of those ends, it is the right of the people to change or to abolish it and to set up a new government, founding it on principles and organizing its powers in whatever form they believe most likely to secure their safety and happiness. Prudence, of course, dictates that long-established governments should not be changed for light or temporary reasons, and experience has shown that people are more willing to endure suffering while evils are bearable than to correct themselves by overthrowing the institutions to which they are accustomed.