Final answer:
The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideals, including the social contract theory and natural rights advocated by thinkers like Locke and Montesquieu. However, the documents also reflect the contradictions of their time, particularly with regard to slavery and voting rights. State constitutions similarly embodied Enlightenment principles while navigating the realities of establishing new governments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are to a large extent reflections of Enlightenment ideals. These foundational documents were deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, who espoused the social contract theory and natural rights, as well as Montesquieu, who advocated for the separation of powers. Thomas Paine, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson integrated these concepts, arguing that a government's duty is to its people and that citizens have inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
While these documents laid the groundwork for a new form of government, they also demonstrated the inherent contradictions and limitations of the time, as many founding fathers were slaveholders. This fact underscores the complexities of the American Revolution and the challenges of creating a truly democratic society. Although the Constitution aimed to establish a government of ordered liberty, it initially restricted voting rights to property owners, reflecting a distrust of pure democracy and an emphasis on property as a prerequisite for political participation.
The state constitutions that arose during this era also mirrored the promise and limits of revolutionary thought, with a clear influence from Enlightenment political philosophy. They sought to implement republican principles, while also confronting the practical considerations of establishing functional government structures within the new states.