The Declaration of Independence features the Enlightenment ideas of a <u><em>social contract</em></u> (power exchange between citizens and the government to ensure a citizens protection), <u><em>popular sovereignty</em></u> (the idea that the government's power comes from the people, so the people have the right to rule the government), and unalienable <u><em>natural rights</em></u> (rights we are all born with. In the Declaration of Independence, these rights are defines as the right to live, pursue of happiness, and be free [liberty]).
They faced certain death if they did didn't before the early snow falls. The mountain passes were too treacherous for wagon trains when they were iced over. Availability of food would have also been a problem.
