Dear diary + Help

+8
Unalienable rights are fundamental, inherent rights given to all individuals by virtue of being human. Because they are not granted by a government, they cannot be surrendered, sold, or permanently taken away by any human authority. 

Mainor Wirth
In the context of the founding of the United States, unalienable rights—often used interchangeably with inalienable—are best known from the Declaration of Independence: 
The Three Core Rights
The Founding Fathers highlighted three primary unalienable rights: 

VOA – Voice of America English News
Life: The fundamental right to exist, to be protected against physical harm, and to live securely.
Liberty: The right to personal freedom, free will, and the ability to act, think, and speak without arbitrary control or oppression.
The Pursuit of Happiness: The right to seek out joy, personal fulfillment, and property in any lawful manner, provided it does not infringe on the rights of others. 

YouTube
·Untold History
 +4
Why They Matter
Not Government-Made: The concept argues that these rights come from human nature or a higher power (e.g., “endowed by their Creator”). Therefore, no human law or ruler can morally erase them. 

The National Constitution Center
 +2
The Purpose of Government: According to natural rights philosophy, the sole purpose of forming a government is to secure and protect these pre-existing rights. 

National Archives (.gov)
 +1
Inalienability: These rights are so central to human dignity that they cannot be given up even if a person voluntarily consents to doing so (e.g., an individual cannot legally sell themselves into slavery). 

civiced.org
 +1
For further reading on the philosophy behind these protections, check out the Bill of Rights Institute’s breakdown of inherent liberties.
Declaration of Independence: A Transcription | National Archives
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among thes…

National Archives (.gov)

1:57
What are Unalienable Rights?

YouTube·Untold History
Terms to know – civiced.org
Inalienable rights are rights that we are unable to give up, even if we want to. According to the concept of inalienable rights found in the Declaration of Inde…

civiced.org
Unalienable Rights and Why They Matter – VOA Editorials
In the Declaration of Independence, America’s founders defined unalienable rights as including “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These rights are c…

VOA – Voice of America English News
Unalienable Rights | Overview, History & Examples – Lesson – Study.com
The unalienable rights are the rights that can never be forfeited. They’re fundamental parts of humanity, the basis for moral interactions between people, and a…

Study.com
The Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
Most importantly, the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are based on the idea that all people have certain fundamental rights that governmen…

The National Constitution Center
FAQ: Inalienable Rights – WallBuilders
Share: Print. Claimed in the Declaration of Independence as “unalienable rights,” inalienable rights are those that are not under the purview of the government …

WallBuilders
What are Unalienable Rights: Meaning and History – Mainor Wirth
Unalienable rights are a category of fundamental rights that cannot be sold, transferred, surrendered, or permanently taken away. They belong to every person by…

Mainor Wirth
II.3 Inalienable Rights – University of Montana
116 for revisions to former Article III, Section 3, Bill of Rights, introduced by J.K. Ward and 18 others, February 3, 1972: Section 3. All persons are born equ…

University of Montana

1:18
The Meaning of “Unalienable Rights” | Center for Civic Education

Facebook·Center for Civic Education
Endowed by Our Creator | Human Coalition
The three unalienable rights that our founders listed are: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Listing the “right to life” first again points to human …

Human Coalition