What famous phrase in the Declaration of Independence asserts the principle of equality?
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."
In the context of 1776, who was primarily included in the phrase "all men are created equal"?
The phrase was mainly applied to white, property-owning men, asserting that they were politically equal to the ruling classes in Britain.
Did the ideal that "all men are created equal" apply to enslaved people in America in 1776?
No. At the time of the writing, the ideal did not extend to enslaved African Americans, who were considered property.
How has the ideal of equality from the Declaration been used throughout American history?
It has been a powerful tool for social change, cited by abolitionists, suffragists, and civil rights activists to argue for the expansion of rights to all people.
What is the philosophical meaning of "all men are created equal"?
It means that no person is born with a natural right to rule over others, and that legitimate political power can only come from the consent of the governed.
The principle of equality is the foundation for which core American values?
Equal opportunity and the promise of equal justice under the law.
Who did Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration, blame for introducing and sustaining slavery in the colonies, a passage later removed?
In his original draft, Jefferson blamed King George III for waging "cruel war against human nature itself" by engaging in the slave trade.
