“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal....” These are some of the most famous words in American history, and Thomas Jefferson wrote them.
These words are part of the Declaration of Independence. In this document, Jefferson set forth all the reasons why the American colonists were determined to declare independence from Great Britain. He also did something even more startling and important: he expressed in powerful and new language his ideas about human rights and human liberty. The Declaration of Independence was the first official document to state that all people had the right to the “pursuit of happiness.” It also stated that it was the government’s job to protect this right, as well as the rights to both life and liberty.
