When in the course of human events , it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another , and to assume among the Powers of the earth , the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them , a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation . — 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 . — That to secure these rights , Governments are instituted among Men , deriving their just powers form the consent of the governed , — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends , it is Right of the People to alter or to abolish it , and to institute new Government , laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form , as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness ​ Thomas Jefferson 托马斯·杰斐逊。美国第三任总统，《独立宣言》的主要起草人，有影响的政治家和哲学家。《独立宣言》是一项正式的国家文件。杰斐逊在晚年写道，他的想法是把它写成为美洲意志的自白。毫无疑问，这是正确的，而同样正确的是，他对其原则的个人承若是极其深刻和认真的。正是这一承若，而不仅是在文字上起草，使杰斐逊成为《独立宣言》中所表达的思想的独特象征。对于年轻的美国以及现代的西方，天赋人权的观念已成为道德伦理最重要的柱石之一。在有关人类事务的发展过程中，当一个民族必须解除其和另一个民族之间政治联系，并在世界各国之间依照自然法则和上帝的意旨，接受独立和平等的地位时，出于对人类舆论的尊重，必须把他们不得不独立的原因予以宣布。我们认为下面这些真理是不言而喻的：人人生而平等，造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，其中包括生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。为了保障这些权利，人类才在他们之间建立政府，而政府之正当权利，是经被统治者的同意而产生的。当任何形式的政府对这些目标具破坏作用时，人们便有权利改变或废除它，以建立一个新的政府。其赖以奠基的原则，其组织权力的方式，务使人民认为惟有这样才最有可能获得他们的安全和幸福。