The Declaration of Independence was a remarkable philosophical statement for its time because it asserted that
A)slavery was a "morally unjust" institution that should be outlawed.
B)there were "unalienable rights" that could not be abridged by governments.
C)laissez-faire capitalism would be the "supreme law of the land" in America.
D)America was "first and foremost, a Christian nation."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence is best known for its statement that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." This statement asserted that there were fundamental rights that could not be taken away by governments, which was a remarkably progressive and influential idea. The Declaration did not address the issue of slavery directly, and in fact, several of the signers themselves were slaveowners, so option A is incorrect. The Declaration did not promote laissez-faire capitalism, as it was a political statement rather than an economic one, so option C is incorrect. Finally, while some of the Founding Fathers were Christians, the Declaration of Independence did not assert that America was a "Christian nation," so option D is incorrect.

The Declaration of Independence Was a Remarkable Philosophical Statement for Its