Final answer:
John Locke's Enlightenment Theory, which included ideas of unalienable rights and the concept of popular sovereignty, laid the groundwork for modern democracy and influenced foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Enlightenment Theory that stated all men are created equal and have unalienable rights, and that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed to protect these rights, is attributed to the English philosopher John Locke. In his work Two Treatises of Government, Locke argued for the idea of popular sovereignty, which posits that a government's legitimacy comes from the will of the people it governs. He emphasized that if a government fails to protect the rights of the people, those people have the inherent right to alter or abolish that government.
The principles expressed by Locke influenced the democratic foundations of various countries, notably the United States. The American Declaration of Independence, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, incorporates many of Locke's ideas, such as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Locke's theories circulated, they challenged the then-prevailing belief in the divine right of kings, leading to significant political changes in the Western world and laying the groundwork for modern democracies.