Why did Benjamin Franklin change Thomas Jefferson’s original phrase, “We hold these truths to be sacred” to “We hold these truths to be self-evident” in the Declaration of Independence?
(Select all that apply.)
benjamin franklin was an atheist, which means he did not believe in a higher power and did not view rights as sacred
benjamin franklin believed that only through reason could a new nation protect the rights of the people
benjamin franklin wanted to display his prowess as a newspaper editor, a position that had improved his writing
benjamin franklin believed that people, no divine right, should select representatives to government
B and D
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I am looking for What did Benjamin Franklin mean in the letter to Thomas Jefferson about self-evident???
The correct options are B and D:
B. Benjamin Franklin believed that only through reason could a new nation protect the rights of the people: Benjamin Franklin, like many of the Founding Fathers, was a proponent of the Enlightenment philosophy, which emphasized reason and rationality. By changing the phrase from "sacred" to "self-evident," Franklin sought to emphasize that these truths could be understood and recognized through logical thinking, rather than being seen as divine or unquestionable.
D. Benjamin Franklin believed that people, not divine right, should select representatives to government: Franklin, along with other Founding Fathers, believed in the principles of democracy and the idea that the authority to govern should come from the consent of the governed. By removing the reference to sacredness, Franklin was emphasizing the idea that the power and legitimacy of government should derive from the people, rather than being granted by a higher power.