Final answer:
The Declaration of Independence was written primarily by Thomas Jefferson and the Committee of Five, asserting that King George III had deprived the colonies of their inalienable rights and that it was the people's right to establish a new government. It was a proclamation of independence and underlying principles that would guide American democracy, influencing the creation of state constitutions and the protection of civil liberties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Framers of the Constitution did not write the Declaration of Independence; rather, the Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson along with the Committee of Five, which included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. The purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to officially proclaim the American colonies' separation from Britain.
Jefferson, drawing upon the philosophical ideas of natural rights theorized by John Locke, eloquently articulated the colonists' grievances against King George III, asserting that the king had established "an absolute Tyranny" over the states. The Declaration of Independence expressed the principle that governments are instituted to protect the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that it is the right of the people to establish a new government if the existing one becomes destructive of these ends.
The Declaration of Independence served as a proclamation to the world, declaring not just the grievances of the colonists, but also the fundamental truths that would become pillars in the foundation of American government. These truths include the equality of all men and their endowment by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. This document also inspired the original states to compose their own constitutions, many of which began with bills or declarations of rights, reinforcing the importance of civil liberties and forming the bedrock of American constitutional democracy.