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How Does Thomas Hobbes Influence On The Declaration Of Independence

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Graded AssignmentResearch Paper Final Draft(200 points)Type your draft here.Elora CopleyMs. FrischEnglish 113/10/18Foreign influence on The Declaration of IndependenceThe ideas surrounding government in our Declaration of Independence had multiple outside influences stretching from english and french philosophers to historical documents.English philosopher Thomas Hobbes’s ideas, laid out the basis as to why we need a declaration of independence, and why we need to have a government set in place. Hobbes said in his book LETHIAN, that people were incapable of ruling themselves primarily because, “humans are naturally self-centered and quarrelsome and need the iron fist of a strong leader.” Our founding fathers agreed, this is, in part, why our …show more content…

Locke stated that people were born with natural rights, the right to life, liberty, and property. One of the most famous quotes from the Declaration of Independence states those rights as, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson, the writer of that quote got his idea from John Locke. Another grand idea modified from one of Locke’s, was the people’s power to overthrow the government- in a legal way of course. John Locke, according to ushistory.org, stated that citizens could overthrow their government if it failed to protect their three natural rights. In today’s government, we the citizens have the right to exercise the right of revolution. According to the Connecticut Journal of International Law, right of revolution is defined as “the right or duty of the people of a nation to overthrow a government that acts against their common interests and/or threatens the safety of the people without probable cause.” Through right of revolution, John Locke’s ideas became a reality.Montesquieu, a french lawyer and philosopher from the 1700s, gave our founding fathers the idea of a three branched government. Having three branches of government allows us to keep the power balanced

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