Analyze the following principle of the U.S. Constitution: The House of Representatives is the part of the government directly elected by the people. What declaration of independence ideal does this reflect?
The principle of the House of Representatives being directly elected by the people reflects the ideal of popular sovereignty, as enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.
Popular sovereignty is the belief that the power and authority of government derive from the consent and will of the people. This principle is rooted in the idea that governments are established to secure the rights and liberties of individuals, and therefore, the people have the right to choose their representatives who will act on their behalf.
By directly electing members of the House of Representatives, the people have a direct say in the composition and functioning of this important branch of government. This aspect of the U.S. Constitution ensures that the government is representative of the people and accountable to them.
The principle of popular sovereignty is expressed in the Declaration of Independence through the famous phrase "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
By elevating the House of Representatives as the branch directly elected by the people, the U.S. Constitution aligns with the idea that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, as asserted in the Declaration of Independence.