America's+Declaration+of+Natural+Rights--An+Examination+of+the+Declaration+of+Independence

What does Liberty mean to you?
 * The ability to do what you want without infringing on the rights of others.


 * Primary Sources at the Library of Congress**--online resource.


 * Natural Rights--not created by law. Not granted these rights, but we are born with these rights.
 * You have the rights to your own body--your property. (Murray Rothbard)
 * Bill of Rights follows natural rights
 * America was founded on Natural Rights

Declaration of Independence--author was Thomas Jefferson and four others. Much of Jefferson's writing of the Declaration was taken from philosophers, politicians and scientists before him. This was not plagiarizing--but it showed his power.
 * 1) Jefferson--renaissance man; politician, author, musician..always trying to improve himself. Started the Library of Congress. Dedicated his life to reading. Locke and Newton were his idols, and his writings took away a lot from Locke's works.
 * "All Men Are Created Equal"
 * Divine rights of Kings;
 * Jefferson disagrees, saying we all get rights at birth; not from Kings.
 * "Consent of the Governed"
 * Did the Declaration of Independence support the secession of the Confederate States. Were the Confederate states exercising natural rights or natural wrongs?
 * Do you feel voting in the United States appoints the government power through the consent of the governed?
 * What about Bush v. Gore?
 * "Train of Abuses"
 * have the right to revolution.
 * "Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness"
 * Property was removed from the draft by Ben Franklin, one of the draftees.
 * What does the phrase "pursuit of happiness." Jefferson put this phrase in.