Why was the Declaration of Independence written?

• A. To expand colonial territories.
• B. To sever ties with Great Britain and declare independence.
• C. To form a military alliance with France.
• D. To establish a monarchy.

Answer: (B)

The Declaration was written to explain why the colonies were breaking away from Great Britain and to declare independence. It presents the move as a justified correction of a tyrannical relationship, arguing that people have unalienable rights and that governments derive their authority from the governed. When a government harms those rights or imposes unjust rule, the people may change or abolish it, and the king’s repeated abuses and violations of colonial rights show that independence is necessary. The document also aims to persuade others—both at home and abroad—that this separation is lawful and reasonable, and that a new self-governing society can be established.