Influences On The Declaration Of Independence

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Influences on the Declaration of Independence Throughout history there have been many powerful and influential pieces of writing. When it comes to American history there is no piece of writing more eminent then the Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson and several American representatives on July 2nd. Although this piece has become well known for defining America and our government today, many of the main ideas are borrowed from various influences. The writers of the Declaration were influenced by many political, economic, and philosophical influences. Natural law is one of the most major philosophical and political influences on the Declaration of Independence. Many people interpret the natural law in extremely different ways. Thomas Hobbes believed man cannot survive in a “natural state” without rule or government. He believed it was the government’s job to tightly enforce the people or the people would turn to chaos. Locke believed the power of the government came from the people and if the people are not happy with government actions then they have every right to overthrow the government. Locke believed people could survive in a natural state with no government but if the people like the government it can exist to benefit them. .(Locke, Chap. 4 Pg. 1) It is clear the writers of the constitution used views on natural law when they put in, “governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The makers of the constitution wrote this because they believed the people of the colonies were not being treated fairly by British government and they were not happy. They believed this gave the citizens of the colony every right to overthrow the government based on natural law when they said, “it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government,

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