Both the American colonists and the citizenry of France were inspired by the idea of popular sovereignty. Which statement best defines this idea?

Popular sovereignty is the idea that people have the right to overthrow a government that does not seem powerful enough.

Popular sovereignty is the idea that a monarchy only rules when the people believe that he is the son of a king.

Popular sovereignty is the idea that a country's leader rules by permission of a majority of that country's citizens.

Popular sovereignty is the idea that people in a country must protect and defend one another.

The statement that gets closest to what popular sovereignity means is the third: Popular sovereignty is the idea that a country's leader rules by permission of a majority of that country's citizens.

Explanation:

Popular sovereignty means that the people have the power. It means that people, as a people, that is, thousands of individuals together that are thus more than just the sum of themselves, have the power to decide about the organization and government of them.

The people have a power that comes from their acting together. It's this power, and this power only, that concedes that a leader governs.