The Enlightenment Philosophers, but especially John Locke, influenced Thomas Jefferson as he drafted the Declaration of Independence.
Locke was a major proponent of the belief that humans have natural rights and that we enter into a social contract in return for giving up some liberty to the government in exchange for protection of the natural rights.
Jefferson used this belief when he wrote about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" cribbing Locke's "life, liberty, and the pursuit of property"
