In some ways, reading the American Declaration of Independence can feel like a “John Locke’s Greatest Hits” essay, with many of it’s key points directly borrowed from the Second Treatise of Government. It might even have been appropriate for Thomas Jefferson to have included a Works Cited or Bibliography page, given how much of the Declaration is the accumulation of the works of the era’s foremost philosophers and thinkers. The Declaration of Independence premises itself on the notions of the legitimacy of governments and the consent of the governed, both of which are central tenants of the political philosophy of John Locke.
The parallels between the Declaration and the works of John Locke can best be seen in this statement from paragraph two:
“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.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government
…show more content…
Line-by-line, the connections can be seen by drawing comparisons to the text of the Second Treatise of Government. Starting with “all men are created equal,” Locke makes direct reference to his belief in the fundamental equality of all men in phrases such as, “obvious that creatures of the same species and status, all born to all the same advantages of nature and to the use of the same abilities, should also be equal in other ways, with no-one being subjected to or subordinate to anyone else” (Locke 8). This equality of people creates a “relation of equality between ourselves and those who are like us” (Locke 9), such as our fellow citizens. Each citizen thus has the same political power, despite differences in property and
The Declaration of Independence uses the ideas of Locke to explain individual rights given to the people by God. Locke believed that people were given a blank slate when they were born and they had the
In the Declaration of Independence it was written, “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another.” A powerful line written by powerful men, the Declaration of Independence possessed characteristics later recognized in the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, Third president of the United States, was one brain behind these beliefs written in the documents. However, running the country with a constitutional mindset often did not end the way it was intended. Jefferson, along with Theodore Roosevelt, and Andrew Jackson, each had their successes but also contradictory clauses, which have shaped the way America perceives each.
1. How does Jefferson explain the need for a formal declaration of independence? Jefferson explains the need for a formal declaration of independence by saying “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.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Obliviously as humans with thinks it’s a pretty basic and obvious idea that God created every person equal to be equal. He’s saying that God gave each person the same basic rights unalienable rights that they can’t be taken away.
I have come up with the conclusion that Thomas Jefferson would likely support modern day protests. I did this using text evidence from the Declaration of Independence and his letter on Shays’ rebellion. It is shown in both documents that he clearly supports, and encourages opposing views. In the Declaration of Independence it states, “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the people to abolish it...”. He also says, “…it is their right,
By using The Declaration Of Independence ans Jefferson's letter about Shay's Rebellion I can prove that Thomas Jefferson would likely support modern day protest. In the letter it states, "What country before ever existed without a rebellion." This supports my claim because he supports that there was no country in the world that didn't have any kind of disagreement. According to The Declaration Of Independence it states, "...all men are created equal." This also supports my claim because if all men are created equally then people would have the right to say what is on their mind.
John Locke was a philosopher, and political scientist. He believed democracy was a considerably better form of government than a monarchy. Thomas Jefferson was the third U.S. president, and was one of America’s founding fathers. He was the author of the Declaration of Independence, and played a key role in the institution of the United States of America. John Locke was a very influential person when it came to Thomas Jefferson and the ideas within the Declaration of Independence.
The rights of “life, liberty, health, and possessions” are an essential key in having a balanced life. The Two Treatises on Government written by John Locke, influenced most ideas in the Declaration of Independence and The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document influenced Enlightenment ideas such as religious toleration, the sovereignty of the people, press freedom, the right to rebel, and no taxation without representation. These documents helped create a better society in the word today.
The main teaching of the Declaration centers on defining the equality and natural rights of man. It is against the rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that the Declaration weighed the actions of the British, and reached the conclusion that declaring independence was justified. The right to life essentially means that a free, independent man has the right to protect his own life. The Founding Fathers accused George III of Britain of violating this right in several clauses, at one point stating he “destroyed the lives of our people.” The right to liberty means that each man is at liberty to follow their own will in all things that the natural law has not prohibited.
Locke had stated that when an executive act for his own benefit, and not to serve the ends of the people. He “degrades himself” and becomes “but a single private person without power,” at which point he no longer has any right to rule over the people. Locke expresses the idea of rebellion against an unjust government. By giving the idea of rebellion, he also reveals that a human’s rights have changed over the years and that a man now has inherent rights. It was because of his declaration that the statement, “give me liberty or give me death,” become popular among the American people.
INTRODUCTION “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. They are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights. That among these [rights] are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” - Thomas Jefferson, Declaration Of Independence 1776
John Locke was a philosopher and political scientist. He had many interests and produced a number of writings that influenced future leaders. One of these leaders was Thomas Jefferson, who was involved with the aid of America and the act gaining independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence and Locke’s views on government contain many similar aspects. These ideas includes the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (natural rights); the protection that is provided by the government for these rights; and the altering or abolishment of government if it fails to provide and protect the rights of the people.
Within the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson discusses the simple fact that governments are created to secure the rights of
On July 4, 1776, the colonies document “the Declaration of Independence” was published in the United Kingdom which is a work of Thomas Jefferson became the most important document at that time because it marks the moment when the American imperialism became independent of British domination. The Declaration of Independence is based on the ideas of a 16th century English philosopher, John Locke. Confirmed national rights and human rights are inextricably linked with each mention of human rights as a necessity 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.” (The Declaration of Independence,Thomas Jefferson ); Thus, in the case of the Constitution, the state administration, which represents the president, will clarify his role in the government that to preserve the rights of citizenship, freedom, and more importantly is to bring profits to the United States: “Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:- “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.””
Responses When locke talks about freedom, he is referring to the unspoken trust between government and civilian. This bond is known as Government legitimacy, a concept in which the government provides security and protection, and in return the people give up some of their rights and freedoms to allow for government jurisdiction. This quote metaphorically represents punching the government in the nose, or revoking of any form of governmental control. When Locke says that freedom ends at the tip of his nose, what he means is that once you throw the first punch, the government is under no obligation to continue to give you anything.
Locke argues that every person has a right to freedom and no person has a natural right to rule over anyone. He argued this point by saying that God created each man giving them freedom and no one has been appointed to rule over others. These two ideas are the basic teachings that lead Locke to his definition of the law of nature. Locke believed no one should harm another in life, liberty, or possessions. This means that mankind is to be peaceful and as creations of God we have a duty to not harm one another, and to help our neighbors when we can do so without harming ourselves.