There have been many instances throughout history where Americans have fought for the rights of the individual. Whether it is the abolition of slavery, the fight for women’s right to vote, or the fight against child labor, individual rights have always been important to Americans.

The American colonists felt that their individual rights had been trampled under British rule, so individual rights were very specifically addressed in the Declaration of Independence.

Read the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. Click on the excerpt to highlight the sentence that reflects individual rights in the Declaration of Independence.

Analyzing the text - What does "unalienable Rights" mean in the context of the Declaration of Independence?

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Unalienable (inalienable) rights are rights that cannot be taken away.

In writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson used political ideas from British philosopher John Locke. In his "Two Treatises on Civil Government," John Locke provided a foundation for modern democracy. Below is a summary of a few of Locke’s ideas.

• Individuals have the natural right to life, liberty, and property.
• Government is created to protect the people.
• Government must rule with the consent of the governed.

Click on each individual right in the chart below to learn more.