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.
Thomas Jefferson
We Hold These Truths
Topic: Justice, Vision, & Leadership
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 from the consent of the governed.
Thomas Jefferson, born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Colony of Virginia, British America, emerged as a significant figure in the early political landscape of the United States. His intellectual pursuits and commitment to the Enlightenment ideals of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights significantly influenced the nation's trajectory towards independence from Great Britain. As the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson articulated a vision of individual freedoms and egalitarian principles that aimed to serve as the bedrock of the new republic. His political career further evolved as he took on the role of the second vice president of the United States under John Adams from 1797 to 1801, marking his deepening involvement in the nation's governance.
Ascending to the presidency in 1801, Jefferson's tenure as the third president of the United States till 1809 was marked by efforts to establish a government of restraint, aimed at safeguarding the liberties enshrined in the founding documents. During his presidency, the Louisiana Purchase was accomplished, significantly expanding the nation's territory. Yet, his presidency also saw controversies, including the Embargo Act which proved unpopular. Jefferson's philosophical underpinnings, deeply influenced by Epicurean, Stoic and Enlightenment thought, often informed his political decisions and the articulation of a vision for the republic that prioritized individual liberty and a restrained government.
Passing away on July 4, 1826, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., at the age of 83, Jefferson's legacy continues to be a subject of discussion and analysis. His resting place at Monticello, Charlottesville, Virginia, serves as a reminder of his contributions to the formative stages of the United States. Jefferson's life reflects a complex interplay of intellectual vigor, political acumen, and a deep-seated belief in certain philosophical principles. His writings, particularly the Declaration of Independence, continue to serve as fundamental texts underscoring the values upon which the nation was founded, and his presidency marked significant events in the early history of the United States. His influence endures, shaping discussions on individual rights, government's role, and the philosophical underpinnings of the nation's core beliefs.
U. S. Declaration of Independence
Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011, p. 1056 [Thomas Jefferson (et. al.), U. S. Declaration of Independence].
Thomas Jefferson
Theme: A Vision of America
About This Thomas Jefferson Quotation [Commentary]
Thomas Jefferson begins with first principles: “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” that “all men are created equal,” “endowed by their Creator” with “unalienable rights,” “among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Equality is given, not granted; rights are inherent, not negotiated. This sets a compass for A Vision of America rooted in dignity shared by women and men, girls and boys, across communities and generations.
The passage then names the task of public power: “That to secure these rights, governments are instituted,” “deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Rights come first; government follows to safeguard them. “Just powers” rest on “consent,” not force or privilege. The order matters—equality, rights, government, consent—so the human family’s worth and voice are honored without exception.
Finally, Jefferson’s context calls for practice: if government exists “to secure these rights,” citizens must ask whether laws and leaders protect “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all. The work is to widen “created equal,” deepen “consent of the governed,” and keep power answerable to those it serves. Read this way, the sequence remains a guide for A Vision of America: from self-evident truth to unalienable rights to consent that safeguards every person.
Thomas Jefferson et al. The Declaration of Independence
June 11, 1776
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston appointed to a committee to draft a declaration of independence.
June 12-27, 1776
Jefferson, at the request of the committee, drafts a declaration, of which only a fragment exists. Jefferson’s clean, or “fair” copy, the “original Rough draft,” is reviewed by the committee. Both documents are in the manuscript collections of the Library of Congress.
July 4, 1776
Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in the morning of a bright, sunny, but cool Philadelphia day. John Dunlap prints the Declaration of Independence. These prints are now called “Dunlap Broadsides.” Twenty-four copies are known to exist, two of which are in the Library of Congress. One of these was Washington’s personal copy.
Original Language From Transcript {Excerpt]
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, 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 from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
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