The Declaration of Independence

Rob Edwards

Jefferson, “Declaration of Independence”

• Obviously, the Declaration of Independence was signed into agreement on July 4^th, 1776

• In the Preamble, Jefferson takes Locke's ideas of life, liberty, and property as the essential natural rights of an individual, but just substituted “pursuit of happiness” in for property

• All men are created equal, endowed from birth with natural rights

• Right of the people to abolish any government that denies them those rights

• The American colonies suffered for too long under the abuses and usurpations of the British government

• The declaration is a break with the tyranny of Britain, and demonstrates Enlightenment-fueled political thought

• All of you hopefully already know the reasons for and the theory behind the Declaration of Independence.