freeborn

In the context of American slavery, 'freeborn' may refer to free Negroes or free people of color.

"Freeborn" is a term associated with political agitator John Lilburne (1614–1657), a member of the Levellers, a 17th-century English political party. As a word, "freeborn" means to be born free, rather than to be born in slavery or bondage or vassalage. Lilburne argued for basic human rights that he termed "freeborn rights", which he defined as being rights that every human being is born with, as opposed to rights bestowed by government or by human law.^[1] John Lilburne's concept of freeborn rights, and the writings of Richard Overton another Leveller, may have influenced the concept of unalienable rights,^[2] (Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.) mentioned in the United States Declaration of Independence.^[3]

Other historians, according to Edward Ashbee, consider that it is not the tradition of "Freeborn Englishmen", as espoused by Lilburne, Overton, John Milton and John Locke, that were the major influence on the concept of unalienable rights in the United States Declaration of Independence but "an attempt to recreate 'civic republicanism' established in classical Greece and Rome".^[4]

Notes

References

• Ashbee, Edward; Ashford, Nigel (1999). US politics today (4, illustrated ed.). Manchester University Press ND,. ISBN 978-0-7190-5463-1. 
• Boyd, Tony (2003). Understanding political ideas and movements: a guide for A2 politics students (illustrated ed.). Manchester University Press. pp. 197. ISBN 0-7190-6151-2. 
• Heater, Derek Benjamin (2006). Citizenship in Britain: a history. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 33,34. ISBN 0-7486-2226-8. 

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