How did the Virginia Declaration of Rights influence the Declaration of Independence?

Question

It was the first document that was openly critical of the king.
It was the document Jefferson referred to when writing the Declaration of Independence.
It suggested that the colonies should be independent from Britain.
It was published as a pamphlet and built support for the Declaration.

Answer 1

The most accurate statement regarding the influence of the Virginia Declaration of Rights on the Declaration of Independence is: It was the document Jefferson referred to when writing the Declaration of Independence.

The Virginia Declaration of Rights, adopted in 1776, articulated fundamental rights and set a precedent for other declarations, including the Declaration of Independence, which Thomas Jefferson drafted. Jefferson drew on the ideas of inherent rights and the principles of government found in the Virginia Declaration when formulating the concepts of equality, natural rights, and the right to alter or abolish government in the Declaration of Independence.