Final answer:
The Declaration of Independence refers to the social contract theory of John Locke as a justification for American independence from British rule. It asserts that when a government violates natural rights, the people have the right to alter or abolish it to establish a new government based on Enlightenment principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the Enlightenment principles referred to in the Declaration of Independence, on which the United States was founded, social contract theory is a prominent one. This principle, as articulated by philosopher John Locke, holds that a government's legitimacy is derived from the consent of the governed and that when a government fails to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property (or the pursuit of happiness), the people have the right to alter or abolish it. The colonists included this principle in the Declaration as a moral justification for revolution and to declare their independence from British rule, asserting that King George III had violated their natural rights and thus abrogated the social contract. As such, the colonists felt compelled to establish a government that reflected Enlightenment values of reason, equality under the law, and certain inalienable rights, principles that would later resonate strongly in American democratic ideals and in the formation of the Constitution.
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