What was a central theme of the Declaration of Independence?

The central theme of the Declaration of Independence is indeed equality and personal liberty. This foundational document, adopted on July 4, 1776, asserts that all men are created equal and are endowed with unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This idea of equality is critical as it laid the groundwork for the notion that individuals have inherent rights that must be respected and protected by governments. The Declaration's emphasis on personal liberty illustrates the colonists' desire to establish a government that safeguarded these rights rather than a system that oppressed them.

While other options touch on important aspects of the American experience, they don't encapsulate the overarching message of the Declaration. Freedom from religious persecution is certainly significant in a broader context but is not a primary focus of the document. The right to bear arms, while crucial in later debates about the Second Amendment, is not addressed in the Declaration. Economic independence, although vital to the colonists' motivations for declaring independence, serves as a means to achieve the greater ideals of equality and liberty rather than being a central theme itself. Overall, the Declaration emphasizes the principles of equality and personal freedom as essential to the identity of the new nation.