Omar Bennett
The phrase all men are created equal is a famous statement found in the United States Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson during the Revolutionary War in 1776. The phrase has become emblematic of America's founding ideals, reflecting Enlightenment philosophy and the belief in inherent equality and individual liberty. While the Declaration of Independence is not legally binding, it serves as a powerful statement of principles that influenced subsequent constitutions and declarations of rights worldwide. The phrase all men are created equal has been adopted or echoed in various forms, emphasizing natural human rights and equality. However, it is important to note that the presence of this phrase in the Declaration of Independence stood in contrast to the reality of slavery and racial inequality in America's early history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Found in | The United States Declaration of Independence |
| Authors | Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin |
| Date | 1776 |
| Location | Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia |
| Other documents | The Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, The Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence, The Massachusetts Constitution, The Bill of Rights |
| Legal status | Not legally binding |
| Related people | John Locke, John Adams, John Randolph of Roanoke, John C. Calhoun, John Pettit, Alexander Stephens, Abraham Lincoln |
| Related events | Revolutionary War, Civil War, Gettysburg Address |
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What You'll Learn
- The phrase all men are created equal is from the US Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution
- The Declaration of Independence is not legally binding
- The ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence influenced the Constitution
- The liberties promised in the Declaration of Independence became legally enforceable in the Constitution
- The phrase has been criticised as false by supporters of slavery
The phrase all men are created equal is from the US Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution
The phrase "all men are created equal" is from the US Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, contains the famous line: "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." This phrase, penned by Thomas Jefferson, has come to embody the American creed and the nation's founding ideals. It is a powerful statement that captures the essence of the principles on which the American government and identity are based.
The idea that "all men are created equal" has its roots in Enlightenment philosophy and the work of philosophers like John Locke, who argued for the inherent equality and individual liberty of all people in the "state of nature" before the formation of governments. Similar sentiments can be found in earlier works, including those by the medieval priest John Ball, who proclaimed, "From the beginning, all men by nature were created alike."
While the Declaration of Independence is not legally binding, it laid the foundation for the freedoms and liberties that would later be enshrined in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Constitution, drafted in 1787, built upon the principles outlined in the Declaration, including the notion that all people have fundamental rights that governments are created to protect. It was followed by the Bill of Rights in 1789, which enumerated and made legally enforceable the fundamental freedoms alluded to in the Declaration.
The phrase "all men are created equal" has had a significant impact on subsequent declarations of rights and constitutions worldwide. It has been adopted or echoed in various forms in documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Germany's Basic Laws, and many other constitutions. The phrase often serves as the framing for all subsequent rights listed in these documents, emphasizing their universal application.
Despite the powerful statement "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence, it is important to note that the document's authors, including Thomas Jefferson, owned slaves, creating a tension between their ideals and their personal conduct. It was not until after the Civil War and the ratification of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution in 1868 that the promise of equality and the respect for fundamental liberties were fully vindicated.
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The Declaration of Independence is not legally binding
The phrase "all men are created equal" is found in the United States Declaration of Independence. The final form of the sentence was stylized by Benjamin Franklin and penned by Thomas Jefferson during the beginning of the Revolutionary War in 1776. It reads:
> 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.
The Declaration of Independence is not a legally binding document. It is widely understood not to be law, unlike the Constitution, which is universally understood to be. However, this is a matter of contingent empirical and sociological fact rather than anything more formal, logical, or legal. The Declaration of Independence was a statement of political philosophy and a justification for the colonies' right to break away from British rule. It was not intended to be a legal document with binding force.
That being said, the Declaration of Independence has been used as a reference point for legal and political arguments. For example, Abraham Lincoln often quoted the principles of equal rights set forth in the Declaration as a justification for abolishing slavery. In the case of Shanks v. Dupont, the Declaration was understood to have legally effectuated independence, and its timing was relevant to the litigation. Additionally, the Declaration of Independence has been influential in shaping subsequent declarations of rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Germany's Basic Laws, and the Constitution of Algeria, among others. These declarations of rights are often applied as natural human rights, emphasizing that all listed rights apply to all people.
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The ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence influenced the Constitution
The United States Declaration of Independence, drafted in 1776, contains the famous phrase, "all men are created equal". This statement, penned by Thomas Jefferson, reflects Enlightenment philosophy and the belief in inherent equality and individual liberty. The ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, including this statement, influenced the creation of the US Constitution.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted by similar groups of people—both were written by educated white men of property, with the Constitution building upon the ideals expressed in the Declaration. The Declaration proclaims the independence of the American colonies from Great Britain, asserting that all political connections to the British Crown should be dissolved. It also outlines the inherent liberties and rights of the American people, which the government is created to protect. These liberties and rights, though not legally enforceable, laid the foundation for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The Declaration's preamble, which contains the famous phrase "all men are created equal", was largely ignored at the time but has since become the most famous part of the document. This phrase has been considered a hallmark statement in democratic constitutions and human rights instruments worldwide. It emphasizes the inherent equality and natural rights of all individuals, setting the tone for the subsequent rights listed.
The Constitution, drafted in 1787, built upon the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence. It sought to legally enforce the liberties and rights alluded to in the Declaration, with the Bill of Rights further enumerating these freedoms. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified after the Civil War, reinforced the commitment to respecting fundamental liberties and rights.
The ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, including the belief in the inherent equality of all people, influenced the creation of the US Constitution by providing a foundation of principles and rights that the Constitution would later legally enforce and expand upon. The Declaration's powerful statement of equality and liberty inspired not only the Constitution but also subsequent generations of Americans and people worldwide in their quest for freedom and equality.
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The liberties promised in the Declaration of Independence became legally enforceable in the Constitution
The United States Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson, includes the famous phrase "all men are created equal". This declaration set out the liberties and rights that were considered fundamental and inherent, including the right to worship God, the right to the enjoyment of life and liberty, and the right to pursue happiness. However, these liberties were not legally enforceable until they were later enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The Declaration of Independence was a statement of the 13 united States of America's intention to sever political ties with Great Britain and establish themselves as Free and Independent States. It outlined the rights and freedoms that the American people believed they were entitled to, and which they believed the British Crown had infringed upon. These included the obstruction of the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners, the refusal to pass legislation to encourage migration, and the obstruction of the Administration of Justice. The Declaration also stated the belief that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed, and that it is the right of the people to alter or abolish a government that becomes destructive of these ends.
The liberties and rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence became legally enforceable with the enactment of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Constitution, which includes the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights, enumerates the rights and freedoms that the American people are guaranteed. These include the freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, the right to worship, and the right to a fair trial. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, which formally ended slavery, guaranteed equal protection under the law, and granted African-American men the right to vote, respectively, further solidified the liberties promised in the Declaration of Independence.
The Bill of Rights has become a document that defends the majority against an overreaching federal government and protects minorities against state governments. It is at the centre of contemporary struggles over liberty and equality, with debates ongoing over the power of the federal government and how to protect the least powerful in society. The liberties and rights first promised in the Declaration of Independence have thus evolved and been strengthened over time, ensuring that they are legally enforceable and upheld.
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The phrase has been criticised as false by supporters of slavery
The phrase "all men are created equal" is found in the United States Declaration of Independence. It reads:
> 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.
The phrase was penned by Thomas Jefferson during the beginning of the Revolutionary War in 1776. It was stylised by Benjamin Franklin and was influenced by John Locke's second treatise on government, particularly Locke's belief in inherent equality and individual liberty. Similar ideas can be traced back to earlier works, including medieval and classical sources, which emphasised the dignity and worth of all human beings.
Despite the phrase's enduring influence, it has been criticised as false by supporters of slavery. In the early 19th century, Senator John Randolph of Roanoke, a slave owner, criticised the phrase, stating:
> It is a falsehood, and a most pernicious falsehood, even though I find it in the Declaration of Independence.
John C. Calhoun, another supporter of slavery, agreed with Randolph, claiming there was "not a word of truth" in the phrase. In 1853, in the context of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Senator John Pettit, also a slave owner, echoed similar sentiments, referring to the phrase as a "self-evident lie".
The contradiction between the claim that "all men are created equal" and the existence of American slavery, including Thomas Jefferson himself owning slaves, attracted comments when the Declaration of Independence was first published. Congress deleted nearly a fourth of the draft, including a passage criticising the slave trade.
The phrase has been further criticised on grounds of racism. Nikole Hannah-Jones, for instance, wrote in The New York Times that "the white men who drafted those words did not believe them to be true for the hundreds of thousands of black people in their midst."
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Frequently asked questions
The phrase comes from the United States Declaration of Independence, written in 1776.
The Declaration of Independence was penned by Thomas Jefferson, with the final form of the sentence stylised by Benjamin Franklin.
The full sentence reads: "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."
The phrase has come to be seen as emblematic of America's founding ideals, and has been considered a hallmark statement in democratic constitutions and similar human rights instruments worldwide.
The phrase has been criticised for its contradiction with the reality of slavery in America at the time of its writing, and for its exclusion from subsequent declarations of independence, such as Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965.
