What?: Document created by the French National Assembly laying out the goals for the French Revolution and establishing the principles of the new French Republic.
Where?: France
When?: 1789
Who?: Written by the leaders of the Third Estate
Why?: To protest the abuses of the Ancien Regime, King Louis and the inequalities of the Estates system.
How?: The Declaration was a document based upon the ideas of the Enlightenment and Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence.
Importance The Declaration contained some of the following basic principles for government
1) All men are created equal.
2) Government gets its power from the consent of the governed
3) Freedom of speech and religion
4) People have a right to participate in their government
5) Taxes are based upon the ability to pay and are subject to the approval of the people.
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