Final answer:
Natural laws have their origins in ancient traditions but were redefined during the Age of Reason by Enlightenment philosophers, who used them to construct a new societal framework based on human reason and natural rights, contrasting the divine right of kings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The origins of natural laws trace back to ancient traditions such as Zoroastrianism, which framed these concepts as divine, immutable laws governing the universe. This idea evolved considerably by the time of the Age of Reason, where Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke constructed a new political framework that revolved around these natural rights, asserting human reason and empirical evidence as the primary tools in structuring society and its laws. These natural rights and laws were posited against the divine right of kings, heralding a shift towards modern republican government and civil society, which recognized the right to life, liberty, and property as inherent to all humans.