Jefferson summarized a philosophy to write the Declaration. Who's original philosophy was the inspiration?

Question

Jefferson summarized this philosophy in "self-evident truths" & set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify the "breaking away from the motherland". However, the political philosophy of the Declaration of Independence wasn't new; its ideals had already been expressed by another individual.

Answer 1

On July 8, 1850, Fillmore was presiding over the Senate when a message was handed to him. President Taylor, who had been stricken by a stomach disorder, was dying in the White House. It was approaching midnight on July 9 when there came the dreaded knocking at Fillmore's door at Willard's Hotel. A note from the cabinet told him "Zachary Taylor is no more."

"I have no language to express the emotions of my heart," Fillmore responded. "The shock is so sudden and unexpected, I am overwhelmed."

The following morning Fillmore wrote out his first official contact with Congress as president-to-be. "I have to perform the melancholy duty of announcing to you that it has pleased Almighty God to remove from this life Zachary Taylor. . . . I propose this day at twelve o'clock . . . in the presence of both Houses of Congress, to take the oath prescribed by the Constitution."

Answer 2

John Locke was the major force behind the declration. In his book, Two Treatesies on Government. Locke set forth 3 basic rights all people should have. Life Liberty and Property. Even though property is not in the Declaration, Jefferson had it included in the origonal manuscript. So the Declaration

The consitution takes many ideas from various different thinkers. Speration of Powers comes from Baron de Montesquieu. He put his ideas of seperation of powers in a book intitled The Spirit of Laws. Political Order came from Rousseau, which he outlined in his book The Social Contract. Cruel and Unusual Punishment and its banning was a result of, Beccaria who wrote On Crimes and Punishment. Civil liberites and seperation of Church and State are the working of Volatire. Finally our economy is based aorund the views of Adam Smith which he put forth in The Wealth of Nations.

Personally I find it interesting how we can trace our most basic political ideologies back the the enlightenment. We can see what ideas we took from whom, and the best part is that many of the books mentioned can be purchased at a local book story in the philosophy section.

Answer 3

The philosophies he used were:
1. John Locke's natural rights (from Two Treatises of Government)
2. Social Contract of Rousseau (government and people should have a contract with each other. If government breaks contract, people have a right to rebel.)

Answer 4

His influence was John Locke and some think Frenchman Jean-Jacques Rousseau, but there is not enough evidence to support that.