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How Did Thomas Jefferson Influence The Declaration Of Independence

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Thomas Jefferson's influences in writing the Declaration of Independence.
Abstract:
Continental Congress adopted a statement which claimed that 13 colonies are sovereign states under a name United States of America that is no longer the part of the British Empire. This statement/document is known as the ‘Declaration of Independence’, the ideology of which is influenced by the thinkers of Enlightenment Era especially John Locke and Rousseau. The philosophy of equality, fraternity, liberty, governance based on social contract and religious freedom are the core of United Sates Declaration of Independence. The credit goes to Jefferson who merged the philosophies in such a way that this very document was idealized by other colonized countries to …show more content…

He was appointed to a committee to come up with a statement in favor of independence. The Congress appointed John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson the most renowned member. Jefferson was not a commanded speaker but a prolific writer. Ultimately the committee chose Jefferson to draft the declaration; a prestigious document in the history of United States which is known as ‘Declaration of Independence’. Jefferson changed one thirds of his words and took two and half weeks for the final draft. His work brought together and harmonized a variety of opinions of the then famous philosophers and …show more content…

Jefferson believed people have natural rights which shows that John Locke had a great influence on him. The writings of Jefferson was not plagiarized but they had a tinge of Lockean philosophy. Jefferson was of the view that government is for all and it should benefit everyone not just the rulers. He had borrowed the idea of government as our natural right from Thomas Paine. Furthermore, the phrase ‘pursuit of happiness’ (Landau) expresses he had influence of writings of George Mason particularly that of Virginia’s Declaration of Rights.
Thomas Jefferson once said that he didn’t consider writing declaration a duty on him by merely inventing new ideas but to spread common sense on the subject to mankind. His words on ‘Life, Liberty and pursuit of happiness’ articulates that he had borrowed his ideas from the thinkers of enlightenment era. Jefferson’s words against slavery made Congress to have in-depth debate and due to the complexity of slavery issue the language against slavery was taken out from the Declaration of

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