A Latin statement commonly used in the Middle Ages to define the purpose of government reads: servitium propter jura, non potestas praeter jura. This succinct statement translates to mean, “service to and for the sake of rights, not a power exercised beyond or outside of rights.” This age-old definition of what gains a government should work toward, coupled with a belief in the importance of universal rights, provided in essence the backbone of the American …showed first 75 words of 2091 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2091 total…the Document that marked the Birth of the United States of America. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1976. National Archives and Records Administration. 18 Jul. 2000. National Archives and Records Administration. 6 Dec. 2000 Office of the Secretary of State. “Center for research on Vermont.” State of Vermont, Deb Markowitz. 6 Dec. 2000. Wills, Gary. Inventing America: Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Garden City: Doubleday, 1978.