What did the Declaration assert about the government's purpose?

• A. The government's purpose is to protect fundamental rights
• B. The government should never change
• C. The rights come from the monarchy
• D. The government exists to centralize power

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that the government exists to protect people’s fundamental rights. The Declaration of Independence states that governments are formed to secure unalienable rights—like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—and that their powers come from the consent of the governed. If a government fails to protect those rights, the people have the right to alter or abolish it and set up a new one that will. So this view centers on safeguarding individual rights, not preserving power, deriving rights from a monarchy, or keeping power centralized.