Question

11. Use the following excerpt to answer the question:

Preamble Excerpt: "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to
assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of
Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind
requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
Which of the following best expresses the author's main purpose in this document?
(1 point)


O To end the war between colonies and Great Britain by declaring a revolution.

O To criticize the King of England's reign over the colonies and advocate for his removal from power

To declare the thirteen colonies free of Great Britain's rule and illustrate why they are declaring
independence.

To denounce the colonists' treatment as second-class citizens and advocate for better treatment from
the king

Answer 1

The main purpose of the author in the Declaration of Independence is to formally declare the American colonies' independence from British rule and justify the reasons for this separation based on their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The correct option is possibly To declare the thirteen colonies free of Great Britain's rule and illustrate why they are declaring independence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt provided is from the Declaration of Independence, a foundational document in American History. The author's main purpose in this document is to formally declare that the thirteen colonies are taking legal and moral action to become independent from Great Britain.

It emphasizes the colonists' right to a separate and equal status among the powers of the earth, in accordance with the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God. Rather than ending the war or criticizing the King alone, the focus is on the assertion of independence and outlining the reasons that justify such a significant decision.

This action is presented as a necessity, one that arises when a government has failed to protect the rights it was established to safeguard. As the document indicates, the colonists felt compelled to establish a government that would better serve the purposes of protecting their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

In essence, they declared that the current form of government under British rule was not serving those ends, justifying their decision to separate and become an independent nation.