America 250 Moments
Declaration of Independence
4/21/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
Where should the government get its power?
Where should the government get its power? The Declaration of Independence is the Founders’ answer to that.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT
America 250 Moments
Declaration of Independence
4/21/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
Where should the government get its power? The Declaration of Independence is the Founders’ answer to that.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(merry music) - [Narrator] Where should the government get its power?
The Declaration of Independence is the founder's answer.
The Declaration was adopted on July 4th, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House, and outlines four major ideas: the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that the purpose of government is to protect these rights, that the government derives power from the consent of the governed, and the governed's right to alter or abolish said government if it becomes destructive to any of these ideas.
Primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, it establishes the 13 colonies as a democratic republic and lists grievances to King George III which justify the colony separation from Britain.
Many believe the famous line, "All men are created equal," is America's moral standard.
That's why many US social justice movements rally behind the Declaration's ideas of equality.
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America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT