Portsmouth Public Schools

Key WordsUnalienable rights: rights that cannot be taken awayInherent: natural; rights people are born withDerive: to come fromThe English Bill of Rights of 1689: made Parliament

more powerful than the English king. All new taxes had to be approved by Parliament first.

Essential KnowledgeNew political

ideas led to a desire for independence and democratic government in the American colonies.

Essential KnowledgeThe Declaration of

Independence proclaimed independence from England. It stated that people have natural (inherent) rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Essential QuestionsWhat ideas/philosophies about government

were expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

Key Philosophies in the Declaration of Independence

Key philosophies in the Declaration of Independence were based upon ideas first expressed by European philosophers.

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Key Philosophies in the Declaration of IndependencePeople have

certain “unalienable rights” to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. (Unalienable rights are rights that cannot be taken away.)

Key Philosophies in the Declaration of Independence

People establish government to protect those rights.

Key Philosophies in the Declaration of IndependenceGovernment

derives power from the people.

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Key Philosophies in the Declaration of IndependencePeople have a right and a duty to

change a government that violates their rights.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/world/asia/20korea.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Think About It…How do people in the United States show

the government they are not happy? Why do you think the philosophies in the

Declaration of Independence are important?