Question

Which Enlightenment idea is reflected in the Declaration of Independence?
A)colonialism as an institution violated American Indians natural rights.
B)raising taxes unfairly violated colonists right to property.
C)the king violated the social contract by imposing different government on the American colonies and Canada.
D)colonies leaders should have been able to appoint their governors directly

Answer 1

The correct answer is B. Raising taxes unfairly violated colonists right to property.

This grievance of raising taxes without the consent of the colonists is seen in the list of grievances of the US Declaration of Independence. This concept is also seen during the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. John Locke, a philosopher of the Enlightenment, discusses this concept of freedom of property as a right guaranteed to citizens in his book Two Treaties of Government. He goes onto to discuss how a violation of this right by the government can have negative consequences.