-Declaration of Indepence was highly inspired from Enlightenment political thought
-"that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
- It echoed John Locke's theory of government:
- argued individuals should be able to secure their rights and holdings within the government
- authority and power is from "the consent of the governed"
- specified the abuses charged to the british by proclaiming the colonies "Freedom