The Declaration of Independence asserts governments derive their just powers from

• A. the consent of the governed
• B. divine right of kings
• C. economic necessity
• D. natural law of nature's God

Answer: (A)

Power in government comes from the people. The Declaration states that governments are legitimate only when they derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, reflecting Enlightenment ideas that political authority rests on a social contract with the people being governed. This means rulers gain legitimacy through the will of those they govern, and when a government fails to protect rights or acts unjustly, the people have the right to alter or abolish it. The other ideas don’t fit this claim: divine right of kings asserts authority from God to rulers, economic necessity isn’t about who holds political power, and while natural law grounds rights morally, the specific source of political power in the Declaration is the people’s consent.