What Are Unalienable Rights In The Declaration of Independence?
As described in the Declaration of Independence, the Unalienable rights are none other but they are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
But the question is why these rights are unalienable as described in the historical document of the United States?
Well, as the main drafter, Thomas Jefferson described – We human beings are born on this planet with these rights, and so these are our birthright.
These great virtues keep us separate from other living species and protect human dignity.
These rights are like god gift to the human race.
Therefore, nobody can ignore or take them away from us in any certain condition; no matter what.
[Interesting Fact: Did You Know? The Original Source of “Life, Liberty And The Pursuit of Happiness” Is The Philosophy of English Philosopher John Locke. While Discussing On Unalienable Rights, John Locke Said About “Life, Liberty, And Property”. However, When Thomas Jefferson Drafted The Declaration of Independence, He Replaced The “Property” Term With “The Pursuit of Happiness”]
Theoretical Source of The Unalienable Rights In The Declaration of Independence
Theoretically, we found deep discussions of these rights in the Enlightenment age philosophers’ thoughts.
Such philosophers were Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire, etc.
Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of the Declaration, and he was highly influenced by these philosophers.
Therefore, when he drafted the document, he added these Unalienable rights to it.
After the independence of the 13 colonies, these rights became the main way to create the new nation’s constitution.
Chances are high, if these rights were not mentioned in the United States constitution, then probably, the nation couldn’t have been a successful Democracy.
[Interesting Fact: Did You Know? Democracy Was Born Many Thousand Years Before The American Revolution, But Due To The Dominance of Monarchy And Religion, Its Evolution Was Not Getting A Proper Speed. The American Revolution Broke Down The Stronghold. After The Success of The American Revolution, Democracy Started Taking A Rapid Speed Throughout The Whole World. An Immediate Impact Seen In Europe]
Impacts of Those Rights In The 13 Colonies
1. Colonists became rebellious against the rule of Great Britain for protecting their Unalienable rights. Now they wanted somehow to end the British’s control in the 13 colonies.
2. These virtues inspired the 13 colonies to form a new government with Democratic values.
3. Common people started understanding that the people of a country are the real source of its power; but not the Government or King.
Common people learned, actually, they give power to the King or Government for protecting these great ends.
4. It made colonists understand, the value of freedom, equality, brotherhood, and justice.
5. It united all the 13 colonies to fight the Revolutionary War with their full capability.
[Interesting Fact: Did You Know? Shortly After The American Revolution’s Success, In Europe, The People of France Endowed French Revolution. This Revolution Ended The Rule of King Louis XVI And Established Democracy For A Short Time]
