Which document states the government's purpose is to secure and protect natural rights?

• A. The Declaration of Independence
• B. The Constitution
• C. The Northwest Ordinance
• D. The Articles of Confederation

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that government exists to secure unalienable rights. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson states that all people are endowed with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that governments are created to protect these rights. He also emphasizes that legitimate power comes from the consent of the governed, and that people have the right to change or remove a government that fails to safeguard those rights. This makes the Declaration the clearest statement that the purpose of government is to secure natural rights.

The Constitution, while it reflects a system designed to protect rights through laws and institutions, is about organizing and limiting government powers more than declaring that protecting natural rights is the sole purpose. The Northwest Ordinance addresses the governance of new territories and includes protections, but it doesn’t articulate the fundamental purpose of government in the same broad, rights-based way. The Articles of Confederation describes a loose alliance with a weak central authority and does not establish securing natural rights as its central aim.