Parliament dethroned King James II and his daughter Mary took his place as ruler and her husband William became king. Queen Mary and King William signed the English Bill of Rights in 1689. The English Bill of Rights listed many freedoms the government offered and it had ideas incorporated from the Magna Carta, such as limiting the power of monarchs and the right to trial by jury. About ten years later, an Englishman of the name, John Locke created the Social Contract Theory. He believed that all people had inalienable natural rights, which were life, liberty, and property. According to Locke, God gave these rights, and people formed governments to protect their rights. Therefore, if a monarch invades their rights they had authority to remove the monarch. John Locke’s Social Contract Theory shaped the United States later on. In 1773, the French and Indian War arised. The French started to build forts along the Ohio River and Lake Erie. The Virginia Colony also claimed the Ohio River and they were agitated about the French's actions. So they sent their militia and George Washington as the leader to order the French to leave. However the French rejected their order, and in a year the Virginia militia …show more content…
The significant document starts with the preamble which lists reasons why they are writing the declaration. Then it states that the king violated their natural right, therefore they have to right to abolish their government and to start their own. As Jefferson wrote, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.” His quote meant that all men should be treated the same because their creator gave them certain rights that can’t be taken away. Next on the Declaration of Independence is the list of grievances against, King George III of England. Jefferson listed many ways how the king was unfit to rule their country. Lastly on the paper, they declared and formally stated they were now self-ruling. The delegates that signed the Declaration of Independence knew that signing it was a risky task but they took the chance to create a democratic nation called the United States of