Question

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.1
Which Enlightenment philosopher's belief does the passage most directly represent?
A. Baron de Montesquieu
B. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
C. John Locke
D. Thomas Hobbes

Answer 1

The answer is C John Locke

Answer 2

Answer: C. John Locke

Although this line could reflect the ideas of several Enlightenment philosophers, it is most usually associated with John Locke.

Many scholars believe that Jefferson's thought was greatly influenced by the philosophy of John Locke. In his First and SecondTreatises of Government, Locke argued that the state existed for the purpose of protecting people's property, which he defined as "life, liberty and state." Moreover, in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, he claims that the highest objective of intellectual nature consists on the pursuit of "true and solid happiness."