Read the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence:
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.... That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive
of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such
principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.... The history
of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations... To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid
world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
How do the authors of the Declaration best use deductive reasoning to support the idea that the colonists have a right to form a new government?
Choice
A.
They first establish the idea that safety and happiness are God-given rights that should be protected.
B.
They follow his initial statement by accusing the British king of establishing an absolute tyranny.
C.
They list the colonists' grievances against the British monarchy, starting with the king's refusal to "Assent to Laws."
D.
They first establish the idea that declaring one's intentions is a decent and expected measure.