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Foundations of Freedom: Assessing the Philosophies of the Declaration of Independence
Schquetta Hammond-Pearson
Liberty University
Liberty University GOVT 421 D02 202240
Prof. Tamara Reid-McIntosh
Nov. 14, 2022
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Foundations of Freedom: Assessing the Philosophies of the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document that was created for the American settlers
to declare their independence from British rule and as a sovereign nation. The document set out
the terms and intentions of the separation. It served not only to announce the nation’s secession
from British rule, but also to define the terms and reasons for the secession. The ideas contained
within the Declaration of Independence would go on to become the foundation of democracy in
modern America. This document assesses the philosophical and political ideas that helped shaped
the Declaration of Independence.
Discussing the Main Ideas of the Declaration of Independence
There are generally three main ideas associated with the Declaration of Independence.
One main idea is that all men are created equally (McClellan, 1989). As such, all humans deserve
equal treatment, rights, respect, and opportunities. Another primary idea of the document is that
humans have God-given, inalienable rights. Those rights include the right to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness (McClellan, 1989). The third major premise of the Declaration of
Independence is that each citizen has an inherent, civic duty to protect these inalienable rights for
themselves, as well as for other citizens (McClellan, 1989).
The document references the laws of nature and nature’s God in the very first sentence.
This indicates a belief that certain aspects of law, or natural law, are God-given aspects that no
man should attempt to stifle or put asunder. This understanding is what lent the idea that our
basic human rights were God-given rights that all men naturally possess. God determined,
through the creation of man, that all humans are equally entitled to live, to live freely, and to do
what it takes to achieve happiness in this life, contingent upon not infringing on the inalienable
rights of others. With British rule seeming to alienate or infringe upon these rights, the Framers
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decided to declare their independence so that they could uphold and protect these rights for the
citizens of the new world.
Assessing the Idea of Rights According to the Declaration
The idea of rights upheld in the Declaration of Independence was supported by the ideas
of natural law. The Framers believed that the rights that they were ensuring had been directly
bestowed upon all human beings by the Creator. Just existing means that one has the natural right
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In addition to natural law and the inalienable, God-
given rights, the Framers also incorporated contract theory of government via the Mayflower
Compact (McClellan, 1989). This brought about the idea that the only reason that people created,
or initiated, government was to be safe from the woes of nature. The government was also
established to protect people and their property. The Framers seemed to believe that government
should be created for the betterment and protection of the people and their property.
Political Ideas Absent in the Declaration of Independence
The Framers initially disagreed about whether the protected rights should be based on
charters, English common law, or the laws of nature (McClellan, 1989). While natural rights are
the basis of American government and the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence only
explicitly lists rights regarding charter rights and common law rights (McClellan, 1989).
Noticeably lacking were provisions for protection for the African-American slaves that were a
pivotal aspect of building the nation (Harrison, 2017). The equal creation that offered equal
rights and protections was only extended to White men of European descent within the nation.
There was also no language to ensure that people were treated equally regardless of social or
economic status.
Conclusion
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There is a distinct aspect of Christianity present in the language upon which the country
was founded. The inalienable rights that humans naturally have were said to have been given by
nature and nature’s God. This demonstrates the heavy influences of natural law in our founding
documents. There is also evidence of the influence of contract theory as personified by the
Mayflower Compact. There is evidence of the influence of English common law, as well as the
colonial charters. While the declaration mentions that all men were created equal, that protection
did not seem to extend to the Blacks who were kept in slavery to build the nation. God wants us
to live free, as indicative by 1 Peter 2:16, which tells us to “Live as people who are free, not
using freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (English Standard Version
Bible, 2001).
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References
Harrison, L. S. (2017). “That famous manifesto”: The Declaration of Arbroath, Declaration of
Independence, and the power of language. Scottish Affairs, 26(4), 435–459. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.3366/scot.2017.0209
McClellan, J. (1989). Liberty, Order, and Justice. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). English Standard Version Bible
Online. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter
%202%3A16&version=ESV
