Final answer:
John Locke's ideas on social contract and natural rights, such as life, liberty, and property, significantly influenced the founding fathers and were foundational in the drafting of the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Locke's theories, particularly regarding social contract and natural rights, substantially influenced the American founding fathers. Locke theorized that government originated from humans and not divine right, with people consenting to be governed in exchange for protection of life, liberty, and property. This consent was the basis of the social contract; should the government abuse its power, the people had the right to form a new government. These ideas were embedded in the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, exemplified by Thomas Jefferson's adaptation of Locke's principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Moreover, Locke's assertion for the separation of church and state and notions of individual conscience were integral to the religious freedom enshrined in the American constitution.