A primary goal of the U.S. Constitution, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, is to protect people’s natural rights. The main three natural rights introduced by John Locke that are applicable to everyone are “life, liberty and property.” In the United States Declaration of Independence, the concept of natural rights is represented by the “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” (“Declaration of Independence: A transcription,” 2022). The idea behind natural rights is that all people are naturally created to be equal and, thus, possess equal “inalienable” rights (“Declaration of Independence: A transcription,” 2022). Those rights are God-given and cannot be violated or taken away by anyone else. The right to life is one’s right to be born and live, and no one must harm another person’s life. The right of liberty is the right to do anything that does not harm another person’s life, liberty, and property. Writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson decided to substitute the right of property for the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, the right to the pursuit of happiness is a right to possess one’s self, well-being, and freedom of opportunity to experience happiness. The main goal of the government should be to protect people’s natural rights, and people, for their part, should obey the ruler’s laws. If the government abuses those rights and neglects them, people are able to resist, abolish or alter the existing political system. Thomas Jefferson used this concept in the creation of the Virginia Declaration of Independence as well.
Natural rights are protected by the 13th and 14th amendments of the United States Constitution. These amendments were adopted in succession after the Civil War and are one of the most fundamental amendments adopted after the Bill of Rights. The 13th amendment was a consequence of the Civil War and prohibited slavery anywhere on the territory of the United States of America. In section 1 of the 13th amendment, it is stated: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist in the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (U.S. Congress, n.d., Amendment XIII, Section 1). This amendment ensures the protection of the right of liberty, and since its adoption, the states cannot institute slavery upon individuals. The ratification of the 13th amendment resulted in the passing of the Black Codes in a number of Southern states, which encouraged and enforced racial segregation and African Americans’ imprisonment and servitude. After the 13th amendment was adopted, people of color had to face a similar issue once more. Therefore, there was a need to come up with an alternative solution to protect people’s natural rights.
Consequently, on July 9, 1868, the 14th amendment was ratified, which extended formerly enslaved people’s right to liberty. As it is written in Section 1 of the 14th amendment: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of the citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” (U.S. Congress, n.d., Amendment XIV, Section 1). This amendment enabled the prohibition of the Black Codes and other similar documents that deprived people of color of their rights of “life, liberty, and property.” These changes were fundamental in protecting and ensuring the natural rights of all citizens of the United States.
In conclusion, natural rights are the rights given to people by the God and cannot be taken away either by the government or any individual. The rights of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” are stated in the U.S. Constitution as “inalienable” rights and protected by the government. A number of amendments, including the Bill of Rights, protect and ensure people’s natural rights.
References
Declaration of Independence: A transcription. (2022). National Archives.
U.S. Congress. (n.d.). The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. SHEC: Resources for Teachers.