2008 civics test · Question 9 · Principles of American Democracy

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Give 2 of these answers

  • life
  • liberty
  • pursuit of happiness

What this means

The Declaration of Independence names rights that people are born with and that no government can take away. The test asks you to name two of them:

  • Life
  • Liberty
  • The pursuit of happiness

The Declaration calls these “unalienable Rights,” meaning they belong to everyone simply because they are human. Thomas Jefferson wrote the line in 1776, and it has been quoted ever since as a summary of what the country stands for.

Name any two to answer. “Life and liberty” is the simplest pair to remember.

Why this is on the test

This question points to the most quoted line in the Declaration of Independence, and the answer is just naming two of the rights it lists.

How this question is asked

On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion. This question is one where you must give 2 correct answers, not just one.

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