•Influence of Locke, Montesquieu
•The Declaration of Independence
•drew upon Locke’s concepts of natural rights and equality in the “state of nature”
•“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 these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
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Thomas Jefferson
Written by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence shows the influence of Enlightenment ideas—particularly those of Locke and Montesquieu.

Jefferson drew upon Locke’s concepts of natural rights and equality in the “state of nature” when he wrote, “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 these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Jefferson also employed Locke’s conclusion that if a government denied citizens their natural rights, the people had the right to change the government. He stated, “when a long train of abuses and usurpations…evinces a design to reduce them [the people] 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.”