The Rights of Man

America was a new nation under rule of Great Britain. It was forming colonies, economy, becoming its own nation. Men, women, children all living their own way of life, how all living persons should be. However, Great Britain didn’t believe that the newly formed colonies had their own free will and showed who was supreme. Great Britain needed money for its war with France and who better to get it from then its people who weren’t even apart of the fight. Soon enough, tax after tax was imposed upon the colonists. The colonists took the abuse of a war that wasn’t even theirs till they couldn’t take it anymore. Representatives met and realized there was a need for independence. After what seemed like years on July 4th, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed. We can thank John Locke for the declaration. Before anyone of those men had the idea and Jefferson put it down on a piece of paper Locke had already stated the views of independence. When you read the Declaration of Independence you are reading Locke’s “Two Treatises on Government”. Locke states, “The state of Nature has a law of Nature to govern it, which obliges every one, and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.” (Two Treatises on Government: Book II, Chapter Two-Of State of Nature). Locke’s words life, health, liberty or possessions are what we see in the declaration as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Before the revolution, the Boston Tea Party, Stamp Act, and the Declaration of Independence the thought of liberty was spoken by men like Locke. Monarchies believed in the “divine” right to rule; that they were given the power by God to rule over their domain. Locke did not and he stated it saying, “Scripture or reason I am sure do not anywhere say so notwithstanding the noise of divine right, as if divine authority hath subjected us to the...