Where do the people’s rights come from? Jefferson said that they come from man’s Creator. In other words, my life was not created by government. It came into existence independent of government. I don’t have to be beholden or thankful to government for the fact that I exist.

As Jefferson pointed out, life is indeed one of these preexisting rights of man. Others include liberty and the pursuit of happiness. By using the word “among,” Jefferson was indicating that man’s fundamental rights were not limited to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” but included others as well. He had taken the phrase from the English philosopher John Locke, who had described “life, liberty, and property” as fundamental, God-given rights.