The Declaration of Independence is the most important document in our nation’s history. The founding fathers of our country wrote the declaration as a way of stating what was wrong with England, and why they felt like they could form a better country. This document illustrates many ideals that we still try to uphold today, such as the equality of all people, the right to alter or abolish our government, and the unalienable rights that all people have. However, the most significant ideal in the declaration is that authority comes from the consent of the governed. While the other ideals are undoubtedly important, it is possible that the declaration would not have been written at all if the American colonies had representation in England’s parliament. …show more content…
Jefferson included this ideal as a way of showing that citizens are real people that need to have a say in what happens to them, not just objects that can be taxed to make money for a monarch. The rights that Jefferson said all people possessed are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, all of which wouldn’t be respected by the government if the people weren’t allowed to have a say. Some people even think that these rights are not all that the people are entitled to. In Document B, a comic by Steve Greenberg shows President Obama adding health care to the unalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence. Supporters of free health care argue that denying the sick and injured access to health care is denying them their unalienable right to life, as well as happiness. These people feel like their rights are not being guaranteed to them, and they do not consent to how the government is treating them. Just like if the government was denying freedom to its citizens, if the people do not feel like they are being respected, they don’t have to consent to how they are being governed. The unalienable rights are important, but they are impossible to uphold without the consent of the