On April 6, 1776, the Second Continental Congress …show more content…
It was the legal basis for the formation of the United States. The Declaration of Independence was revolutionary back in 1776. Throughout the years after 1776, the Declaration of Independence influenced American political thought and developments significantly. According to Funk & Wagnall’s New World Encyclopedia, it served as a source of authority for the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. Many other countries have used the Declaration of Independence as inspiration and support for their own revolutions. Its influence is evident in the Declaration of the Rights of Man of the Citizen, adopted by the National Assembly of France in 1789. The same principles found in the Declaration of Independence were also integrated into documents supporting freedom for the people of Europe and Latin America during the 19th century (“Declaration of Independence”). The words written in the Declaration of Independence remain significant …show more content…
He wrote in the Preamble the “Laws of nature and of Nature’s God.” Or, if he wanted to, he could have written, all men are equal instead of created equal. Jefferson was a leader of the American Enlightenment and used natural law terminology. Many of the other leaders at the time were orthodox Christians and used biblical technology (Burnside). There were disputes about religion then as there still are today. Even though, Amendment I of the Bill of Rights, expresses the freedom of religion. “Unalienable rights,” means that rights cannot be taken away or denied from an individual. This is where the Bill of Rights comes into effect, as there are several rights given to the people of America. However, there are some rights of equality that were left out, like same-sex marriage. It has taken 200 plus years for this right to be