USCIS 128:10. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

OpenAI. (2026). Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

Two important ideas in the Declaration of Independence are equality and natural rights. The Declaration says that all people are created equal. This means no one is born better than another person. It also says people have natural rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights come from being human, not from the government, and the government must respect them.

Two important ideas in the U.S. Constitution are limited government and self-government. Limited government means the government has rules and cannot use unlimited power. The Constitution explains what the government can and cannot do. Self-government means the people choose their leaders and take part in making laws, usually by voting. This shows that the government works for the people, not the other way around.

Another shared idea is liberty and the social contract. Liberty means freedom, such as freedom of speech and religion. The social contract means people agree to follow laws, and in return, the government agrees to protect their rights. These ideas help explain how the United States balances freedom, laws, and responsibility.