-
-
-
-
-
-
The Declaration reflects several ideas of John Locke: Government's duty protect the people's natural right. People have the right "to alter or abolish" unjust governments. Popular Sovereignty which states that all government power comes from the people.
-
-
-
-
There was also a separation of powers among the judicial legislative and executive branches a concept borrowed from Montesquieu. They saw the government in terms of a social contract in which "We the people of the United States" entered