The European Enlightenment scholar who had the greatest direct influence on the U.S. Declaration of Independence was

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The ideas of John Locke, particularly his theories of natural rights, government by consent of the governed, and the right to rebel against unjust rulers, heavily influenced the American Revolution and the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration, was known to be a strong admirer of Locke's political philosophy. While Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Hobbes also contributed to the Enlightenment and had some impact on American political thought, it is generally agreed upon by scholars that Locke was the most direct influence on the Declaration of Independence.

The European Enlightenment Scholar Who Had the Greatest Direct Influence