Final answer:
The Declaration of Independence expresses that all people are endowed with unalienable human rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The correct option reflecting these rights is (d) human rights of citizens, including life and liberty.
Step-by-step explanation:
Declaration of Independence: Rights Expressed
The Declaration of Independence fundamentally expresses the concept of human rights of citizens, which include the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights signify what individuals are inherently born with and cannot be taken away or relinquished.
This principle extends beyond American borders and has inspired the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), wherein various rights and freedoms are protected, such as those against slavery and forced marriage, the right to participate in government, and many more.
In the educational context provided, the correct option for the question "What rights does the declaration of independence express?" is (d) human rights of citizens, including life and liberty.
The Declaration has also shaped subsequent documents that provide specific legal rights, such as the Bill of Rights, but its primary focus was on ensuring that government exists to secure the basic and inalienable human rights endowed to all individuals.
It is a statement of principles rather than a listing of specific legal entitlements like the right to citizenship (option a) or the right to remain silent when interrogated by police (option b), which are later articulated in aspects of constitutional law and specific amendments.