The Declaration of Independence announced and explained the separation of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain and was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson. Created in 1776 and adopted by the Second Continental Congress, this document deemed the colonies were no longer a part of the Britain Empire and regarded themselves as thirteen independent sovereign states. It demonstrates, in a preamble, the need of political independence with a reasonable explanation necessary for the colonies to overthrow the ruler when the government chooses to harm natural rights. The Declaration states that all men are created equal and have certain unalienable rights in which the government should under no circumstances violate. If the government …show more content…
Locke’s ideas of enlightenment were influential in the creation of the document. Like Locke’s phrase from Two Treatises on Government, “life, liberty, and property,” Jefferson, however, changed this phrase to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This phrase is slightly altered by Jefferson and exemplifies Locke’s belief in natural rights implying an individual’s own rights. Locke also believed that when a government were to become destructive, the people have the right to rebel and abolish it. A government that does not protect these rights becomes a tyranny and is determined to be overthrown. Montesquieu’s and Rousseau’s ideas of enlightenment were also incorporated in the document. The idea of the separation of power comes from The Spirit of Laws, a book written by Montesquieu to promote liberty and prevent tyranny. His theory of dividing political power and being shared equally among a variety of classes were important in order to prevent the abuse of power. It establishes that all men are to be created equal. Written by Jean-Jacque Rousseau, The Social Contract contributes on the concept of the general will and popular sovereignty . The general will is reflected among the common interest of all the people who have