What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Why This Matters

This question asks you to name two of the three rights mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. The three rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You need to name any two of them. The USCIS interviewer wants to see that you know the values that inspired America's founding.

Thomas Jefferson wrote that these rights are "unalienable," meaning they cannot be taken away by any government. The idea was radical for its time. In 1776, most governments claimed authority over nearly every aspect of their citizens' lives. Jefferson argued the opposite: people are born with certain rights, and the purpose of government is to protect those rights, not to control them.

The right to life means the government should protect your existence. The right to liberty means you should be free to make choices about how you live. The pursuit of happiness means you have the right to work toward your own goals and well-being. These are not guarantees of success, but promises that the government will not stand in your way. Together, these three rights form the moral foundation of the United States.

Key Facts

• The exact phrase is "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," found in the second paragraph of the Declaration
• These ideas were influenced by the philosopher John Locke, who wrote about "life, liberty, and property"
• Jefferson changed Locke's "property" to "the pursuit of happiness" to make the idea broader
• The Declaration says these rights come from the Creator, not from any government, making them universal
• These rights are ideals, not laws, the Constitution and its amendments provide the legal protections

Common Mistakes

• Naming rights from the Bill of Rights instead, such as "freedom of speech" or "the right to bear arms", those are constitutional rights, not rights listed in the Declaration
• Saying "freedom" instead of "liberty", while the words are similar, the Declaration specifically uses the word "liberty"
• Only naming one right when the question asks for two, make sure you prepare at least two from the list of three

Study Tip

Use the short phrase "life, liberty, happiness" and repeat it a few times. You can also think of it as a journey: first you are alive (life), then you are free (liberty), then you chase your dreams (pursuit of happiness). During the interview, just pick any two and say them clearly.