According to the Declaration, who institutes or creates government?

Study for the Founding Documents Test with our engaging multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Master key concepts including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights to excel in your exam!

Multiple Choice

According to the Declaration, who institutes or creates government?

Popular sovereignty is the central idea here: governments are created by the people to secure their rights, and their authority comes from the consent of the governed. The Declaration makes this clear when it says governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That means the people are the ones who institute or create government, not a king or any privileged class.

Choosing the king would imply rule by birthright or divine right, which the Declaration rejects in favor of consent. The nobles or clergy are likewise not the source of legitimate government in this view; power grows out of the people’s agreement to be governed, not from hereditary or religious authority. This is the idea behind popular sovereignty and why the answer is the people.

According to the Declaration, who institutes or creates government?

Study for the Founding Documents Test with our engaging multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Master key concepts including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights to excel in your exam!

According to the Declaration, who institutes or creates government?

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