Declaration of Independence and the Age of Enlightenment
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee proposed independence for the American Colonies to the Second Continental Congress. A mere twenty-four days later, Thomas Jefferson’s formal statement of independence from England was adopted by the Continental Congress. On that day, July 4 1776, America was no longer a colony, but a new independent nation. However, Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence was not a completely original concept. In fact, most of it was based on writings from both French and English Enlightenment philosophers.
Thomas Jefferson was a scholar. He had great knowledge of European philosophy. By looking at his
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