Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights (Premise 2).
Therefore, the government derives its power from the consent of the governed (Conclusion).
This syllogism establishes the foundation of the Declaration of Independence, arguing that since all men are created equal and possess certain unalienable rights, the government's legitimacy stems from the consent of the people it governs.
2. Governments are instituted among men to secure their rights (Premise 1).
When a government fails to secure these rights, the people have the right to alter or abolish it (Premise 2).
The British government has failed to secure the rights of the colonists (Premise 3).
Therefore, the colonists have the right to alter or abolish their government (Conclusion).
This syllogism justifies the colonists' decision to declare independence from Great Britain. It asserts that governments exist to protect the rights of their citizens, and when a government fails to do so, the people have the right to change or abolish that government.
3. The colonists have been subjected to a long train of abuses by the British government (Premise 1).
These abuses include imposing unreasonable taxes, depriving the colonists of trial by jury, and refusing to address their grievances (Premise 2).
Therefore, the colonists are justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain (Conclusion).
This syllogism outlines the grievances of the colonists against the British government and concludes that they have a just cause to declare independence. It presents a series of specific abuses that demonstrate the government's failure to fulfill its obligations to its citizens.
These syllogisms are integral to the structure and argumentation of the Declaration of Independence, providing logical reasoning to support the colonists' claims and justify their actions in seeking independence.