What is the author's purpose in the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence about governments?

• A. to inform readers about different systems of government
• B. to inform readers about recent governmental reforms
• C. to persuade readers of the need for governmental change
• D. to persuade readers to petition their local governments

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is understanding why the author wrote this passage: to persuade people to take political action. The Declaration presents a clear argument that governments exist to protect people’s rights, and that when a government becomes destructive and fails in that purpose, the people have a right to alter or abolish it and establish a new one. This is a call to change the status quo, culminating in the decision to declare independence.

This fits the best because the text is not simply laying out different government models, describing reforms, or urging local petitions. Instead, it builds a case for a major political change—independence—by appealing to universal rights and legitimate remedies for a failing government.

Context helps: the passage reflects Enlightenment ideas about the social contract and consent of the governed, where legitimate political authority rests on the people’s agreement and can be reconfigured if that authority no longer protects rights.