The Pursuit Of Happiness Declaration Of Independence
The phrase gives three examples of the unalienable rights which the declaration says have been given to all humans by their creator and which governments are created to protect.
The pursuit of happiness declaration of independence. In the declaration the pursuit of happiness is listed with the other unalienable rights of life and liberty those are qualities of existence states of being. Pursuit of happiness some americans including thomas jefferson and george mason incorporated the concept of the pursuit of happiness into man s natural or inherent universal rights. Conventional history and popular wisdom attribute the phrase to the genius of thomas jefferson when in an. Locke noted that this pursuit is not merely an imaginary quest or a satisfaction of personal desires but an ability to achieve the greatest good free.
The pursuit of happiness is the most famous phrase in the declaration of independence. Preamble to the declaration of independence. 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. Yet the declaration independence written during that session remains the de facto expression of the american ideal freedom from tyranny freedom to live life as one chooses freedom simply to be happy.
Thomas jefferson may have been borrowing from the 17th century english philosopher john locke when he coined the phrase life liberty and the pursuit of happiness after all nearly 100 years before jefferson penned the declaration of independence locke wrote that the foundation of liberty is built on the need to pursue happiness. 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. Happiness is mentioned specifically in the declaration an addition that becomes somewhat unusual upon further scrutiny. The declaration of independence states the principles on which our government and our identity as americans are based.
Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a well known phrase in the united states declaration of independence.