English Deutsch Français Italiano Español Português 繁體中文 Bahasa Indonesia Tiếng Việt ภาษาไทย
All categories

did it

A. proclaimed exactly the same inalienable rights as John Locke had

B.was inspired by the victory at Boston

or

C.summed up what many people were already thinking

2007-07-12 01:50:01 · 6 answers · asked by 2 days after my B day :) 2 in Arts & Humanities History

6 answers

If this is an official question (for an AP exam, for instance) I imagine they are looking for "A". But that's a little simplistic. In one sense the answer is some sort of combination of A and C. One could even argue that "C" is the best.

First, though it is is true that Locke mentions ALL of these in/unalienable rights (though he doesn't use that specific expression), he more typically would speak of rights to life, liberty and PROPERTY. He does not exactly speak of "the pursuit of happiness"... at least not in those terms.

But the IDEA certainly has a foundation in Locke. "Pursuit of happiness," suits what Locke and others had used to describe FREEDOM OF OPPORTUNITY as well as the duty to help those in want.
http://www.crf-usa.org/Foundation_docs/Foundation_lesson_declaration.htm

_________________

On the other hand, Jefferson did not simply draw from Locke, nor even DIRECTLY from Locke. The understanding of these rights -- and HOW they were to be claimed-- was one Jefferson shared with many other Americans, and it owed something NOT just to Locke, but to a variety of important influences or traditions.

In *The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution* (Harvard University Press, 1967), Bernard Bailyn considered the VARIOUS sources and traditions that came together to shape the thinking of the Revolutionary writers, and later the key founding documents of the U.S. Bailyn laid out a whole cluster of important traditions, chiefly the following

1) Works from classical antiquity (esp the political history of Rome)
2) Enlightenment ideas on government and natural rights (mainly Locke)
3) Traditions/the history of English Common Law, esp. as expounded by 17th century British authors.
4) Political and social theories of New England Puritanism, esp. ideas associated with covenant theology
5) The radical political and social thought of the English Civil War and Commonwealth period up to the Glorious Revolution -- that is 'opposition' authors of the late 17th and early 18th century

Bailyn argues that source #5 was critical in shaping and bringing together these various (and sometimes conflicting) traditions.

_________________

Note again that these ideas were WIDESPREAD at the time of the writing of the Declaration (which is why answer "C" sort of fits). But not only were others THINKING them, they were writing them!! Jefferson was NOT penning something brand new with the Declaration of Independence, but drew freely on some English traditions (e.g., the form of the document and several of its specific complaints echoes the English Bill of Rights of 1689) both before and after Locke, AND on a number of Declarations of Independence that various states had already written.

Look especially at the "Virginia Declaration of Rights" written by George Mason in 1776, JUST BEFORE the Declaration of Independence. In the very first paragraph, note how his list parallels Jefferson's (AND see how he pulls together "property" and "pursuit of happiness") --

"That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."
http://odur.let.rug.nl/%7Eusa/D/1776-1800/independence/virdor.htm


For the English Bill of Rights, 1689, see here:
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/england.htm

2007-07-15 16:41:17 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0 0

A...but not completely the same rights as John Locke gave..he gave life, liberty, and property while the Declaration of Independence gave live, liberty, and the "pursuit of happiness"

2007-07-12 05:02:43 · answer #2 · answered by scotishbob 5 · 0 0

something like this. We, the human beings of the Republic of Australia, declare our independence from our oppressors. Our first act is to execute the former chief of our oppressors, John Howard of Kirribilli. Public execution in Martin place. All welcome.

2016-10-19 04:07:02 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

A-John Locke was a very influential philosopher, our founding fathers were familiar with his writings.

2007-07-12 01:58:40 · answer #4 · answered by sugarbabe 6 · 0 0

All of the above.

2007-07-12 01:58:03 · answer #5 · answered by Mr. Taco 7 · 0 0

Or quite simply the most blatant piece of warmongering propaganda ever published?

2007-07-12 03:38:39 · answer #6 · answered by Hobilar 5 · 0 3

fedest.com, questions and answers