Reference no: EM133147173

There are some remarkable parallels between Locke's thoughts and Jefferson's language in the Declaration of Independence. The sanctity of property was one of the few ideas absent in Jefferson's draft of the Declaration: he altered Locke's phrase "life, liberty, and property" to read "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Nevertheless, Locke's views on the importance of property figured prominently at the Constitutional Convention.

The American Revolution itself was essentially a conservative movement that did not drastically alter the colonists' way of life. Its primary goal was to restore rights that the colonists felt were already theirs as British subjects. They did not feel a need for great social, economic, or political changes. As a result, the Revolution did not create class conflicts that would cause cleavages in society.

Question

Compare the goals of the Declaration of Independence, especially the phrases "all men are created equal" and "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" to the goals of the failed Equal Rights Amendment. In your response debate whether the goals expressed in each are incompatible or similar.