John Locke's theories significantly influenced the Declaration of Independence in the following ways:
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Natural Rights: Locke's idea that individuals have natural rights to life, liberty, and property influenced Thomas Jefferson's assertion in the Declaration that all men are created equal, and are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among these life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Social Contract: Locke's theory of the social contract, which suggests that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed, shaped the Declaration's assertion that governments are established to secure the rights of the people and that it is the right of the people to alter or abolish a government that becomes destructive to these ends.
These two concepts are foundational to both Locke's philosophy and the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence.