Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson Term Paper

In fact, many of the ideas are taken directly from John Locke's theories, specifically the statement of the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Specifically, the declaration that "it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume...the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature...entitle them..." is a statement of both republicanism and Natural Law.

The preamble states, "when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." This is a statement of justification of revolution to create self-government.

The statement that people are created "with certain unalienable Rights" is reflective of the natural rights of humans, which evolved into the Bill of Rights. Finally, the concept that humans derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed...it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it" again demonstrates republicanism theory.

Clearly, as seen by the background history and examples cited above, the Declaration of Independence is a summary of the Enlightenment philosophy that inspired its writers. For these reasons, it itself is an Enlightenment document.