Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 62%

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.â€”That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.â€”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.” Declaration of Independence, 1776

Which of the following developments in colonial British America most influenced those who created the Declaration of Independence?

Rationale

The spread of Enlightenment thought.

The Enlightenment was a significant intellectual movement that emphasized reason, individual rights, and the social contract, profoundly influencing the framers of the Declaration of Independence. Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke argued for natural rights and government by consent, ideas that are directly reflected in the text of the Declaration.

A (The evangelism of the Second Great Awakening) YOUR ANSWER

The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival movement that emphasized personal faith and piety rather than political theory. While it did promote democratic ideals and social reform, its primary focus was on spiritual revival rather than the philosophical underpinnings of government, making it less relevant to the creation of the Declaration.

B (The advocacy of loyalism to the Crown) YOUR ANSWER

Loyalism to the Crown represented a perspective that sought to maintain allegiance to British rule and resist independence. This viewpoint is fundamentally opposed to the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence, which championed the right to self-governance and the rejection of tyranny.

C (The spread of Enlightenment thought) CORRECT

The principles of the Enlightenment, particularly those concerning individual rights and the legitimacy of government based on consent, were critical to the Declaration's formation. The emphasis on reason and equality formed the philosophical basis for the argument that individuals have inalienable rights that governments must protect, leading to the assertion of independence.

D (The acceptance of parliamentary sovereignty) YOUR ANSWER

Parliamentary sovereignty refers to the authority of the British Parliament to govern the colonies without local consent. This concept was one of the grievances cited in the Declaration, as the colonists rejected the notion that they could be governed without representation. Acceptance of this idea would contradict the Declaration's assertion of self-governance.

Conclusion

The influence of Enlightenment thought was paramount in shaping the ideals that led to the Declaration of Independence. The emphasis on individual rights, consent of the governed, and the right to alter or abolish government provided the foundation for the colonists' arguments against British rule. Other developments, such as religious movements or loyalty to the Crown, either supported the status quo or were irrelevant to the revolutionary ideals that emerged.

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