Final answer:
The Founding Fathers were justified in declaring independence from Britain due to repeated violations of their rights as English citizens, based on the philosophical underpinnings of the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence listed these grievances and declared the colonies had the right to form a new government that would uphold their natural rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Whether the Founding Fathers were justified in rebelling against the British government and declaring independence is a perspective that can be derived from the historical context and the principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence. In the document, Thomas Jefferson articulated that governments are established to protect the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and derive their powers from the consent of the governed.
By listing grievances against King George III, the Declaration emphasized that the British Crown had violated these principles by taxing the colonists without their consent, obstructing justice, and interfering with self-government, thus justifying the colonies' decision to establish a new rule. Moreover, the philosophical foundations of the Declaration were grounded in the belief that British citizens were entitled to all rights established by the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights of 1689, which include the principle of popular sovereignty and the right to a say in parliamentary matters—rights that had not been upheld by the British monarchy in the colonies. It reasoned that the American colonists had a right to form new governments that would better protect their liberties.