Thomas Jefferson borrowed the ideas of other when he wrote the declaration of independence whose ideas did he borrow?

Answer 1

Thomas Jefferson borrowed heavily from Enlightenment philosophers, particularly john Locke, whose concepts of natural rights and the social contract influenced the Declaration of Independence. Locke's idea that individuals have the right to life, liberty, and property is reflected in Jefferson's assertion of "unalienable Rights" to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Additionally, Jefferson drew from various political and philosophical traditions, incorporating ideas from figures like Montesquieu and the English common law tradition.