Final answer:
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, heavily influenced by John Locke's Enlightenment philosophy, stressing individual rights such as "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" and the idea that government must derive power from the people's consent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and influenced heavily by Enlightenment thinkers, particularly the English philosopher John Locke. Jefferson, as part of the Committee of Five, drafted the document that was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. His writing incorporated the Enlightenment principles of natural rights and the concept of a social contract, which are evident in the declaration's assertion of individual rights such as "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness".
Locke's philosophy was integral in shaping Jefferson's viewpoint, emphasizing the importance of individual rights and the notion that governments should derive their power from the consent of the governed. Notable works by Locke, like the 'Second Treatise of Government', written during England's Glorious Revolution, outlined concepts such as the right to life, liberty, and property, which directly influenced the language and rationale of the Declaration.
Apart from Locke, other Enlightenment thinkers contributed to American revolutionary thought, including Jean Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Paine, the latter of whom clarified and popularized these ideas in his work Common Sense. Nevertheless, it was Locke's redefinition of the nature of government and the rights of the individual that most significantly shaped the founding documents of the United States.