Drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 became the defining event in Thomas Jefferson’s life. Despite Jefferson’s desire to return to Virginia to help write that state’s constitution, the Continental Congress appointed him to the five-person committee for drafting a declaration of independence.

What inspired Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence?

John Locke His writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, but most importantly, the American revolutionaries. Thomas Jefferson used the thoughts first penned by John Locke while writing the Declaration of Independence.

Who did Thomas Jefferson want to write the Declaration of Independence?

A member of a committee of five that also included John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Jefferson drew up a draft and included Franklin’s and Adams’ corrections.

What were Thomas Jefferson’s main ideas?

Jefferson’s most fundamental political belief was an ” absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the majority.” Stemming from his deep optimism in human reason, Jefferson believed that the will of the people, expressed through elections, provided the most appropriate guidance for directing the republic’s course.

What inspired the Declaration of Independence?

Most scholars today believe that Jefferson derived the most famous ideas in the Declaration of Independence from the writings of English philosopher John Locke. Locke wrote his Second Treatise of Government in 1689 at the time of England’s Glorious Revolution, which overthrew the rule of James II.

Did Thomas Jefferson help write the constitution?

Jefferson did not write the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. He was in France during the Constitutional Convention and during the congressional debate over the Bill of Rights. As every schoolboy knows or should know, James Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution.

When did Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Written in June 1776, Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence, included eighty-six changes made later by John Adams (1735–1826), Benjamin Franklin 1706–1790), other members of the committee appointed to draft the document, and by Congress.

What did Thomas Jefferson write?

Thomas Jefferson is considered the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, although Jefferson’s draft went through a process of revision by his fellow committee members and the Second Continental Congress.

What were Jefferson’s 4 main goals?

He committed his administration to repealing taxes, slashing government expenses, cutting military expenditures, and paying off the public debt. Through his personal conduct and public policies he sought to return the country to the principles of Republican simplicity.

Who was the inspiration of the revolution as written in the Declaration?

Inspired by the American Revolution and also by the Enlightenment philosophers, the Declaration was a core statement of the values of the French Revolution and had a major impact on the development of freedom and democracy in Europe and worldwide.

Who inspired the Declaration of the Rights of Man?

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was inspired by the writings of such Enlightenment thinkers as Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire.