Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Equality means all people are supposed to be treated the same under the law, not given special rights or punished unfairly. The Declaration of Independence says people are created equal, and the Constitution later set up a government that must follow laws and protect people’s rights.

Liberty means people should be free to make choices about their lives, within the law. It also means the government’s power is limited and must respect individual rights. This idea shows up in the Declaration’s focus on freedom from unfair rule and in the Constitution’s protections for rights.

The social contract is the idea that government gets its power from the people, who agree to be governed in exchange for protection of their rights. If a government breaks that trust, the people have the right to change it or replace it.

The Declaration of Independence says people are born with rights that can’t be taken away, like life and liberty. The Constitution is meant to protect those rights and limit what the government can do. These are often called natural rights.

Limited government means the government’s power is restricted by laws, like the Constitution, so it can’t do whatever it wants. This idea also includes checks and balances and protecting individual rights, so leaders must follow rules and be accountable to the people.

Self-government means the people have the power to choose their leaders and make laws through voting and representatives. It comes from the idea that government gets its authority from the consent of the governed, not from a king or dictator.