Final answer:
According to the Declaration of Independence, "all men are...endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." These rights come from the writings of John Locke, who wrote about natural laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Locke, a prominent 17th-century English philosopher, significantly influenced the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. In his influential work, particularly in "Two Treatises of Government" (1690), Locke articulated the concept of natural rights. According to Locke, individuals possess inherent and inalienable rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and property. These rights are considered natural because they are not granted by governments but are fundamental to human existence.
The framers of the Declaration, notably Thomas Jefferson, drew inspiration from Locke's philosophy when expressing the foundational principles of the new American nation. The phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" echoes Locke's ideas about the protection of individual rights in a just government.
Locke's philosophy had a profound impact on Enlightenment thinking and played a crucial role in shaping the intellectual foundation of democratic societies, including the United States. By invoking natural rights in the Declaration, the framers emphasized the legitimacy of their quest for independence and the establishment of a government that safeguarded the inherent rights of its citizens.