The Declaration of Independence lists/ three rights/ that the Founding Fathers considered/ to be /natural/ and “unalienable./” They are/ the right/ to life,/ liberty,/ and the pursuit of happiness./ These ideas/ about freedom/ and individual rights were/ the basis/ for declaring America’s independence./

Thomas Jefferson/ and the other Founding Fathers believed that/ people are born/ with natural rights that/ no government can take away./ Government exists/ to protect/ these rights./ Because the people voluntarily give up/ power/ to a government,/ they can take that/ power back./ The British government was not protecting/ the rights of the colonists,/ so the colonies took back/ their power/ and separated/ from Great Britain./