What are the core ideas in the Declaration of Independence?

• A. Natural rights, equality, consent of the governed, and the right to alter or abolish government.
• B. Divine right of kings.
• C. Mercantilism and obedience to law.
• D. The right to bear arms.

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that the Declaration of Independence centers on people's rights and the legitimacy of governments. It argues that individuals have natural rights that governments must protect, that all people are created equal, and that a government’s authority comes from the consent of the governed. Importantly, it claims that when a government fails to protect those rights or becomes tyrannical, the people have the right to alter or abolish it and establish a better form of government.

That is why the best answer lists natural rights, equality, consent of the governed, and the right to alter or abolish government. The other statements point to ideas not found in the Declaration: divine right of kings describes a monarch’s claim to authority from God, mercantilism and obedience to law refer to economic policy rather than the Declaration’s justification for independence, and the right to bear arms is a later constitutional issue not discussed in the document.