America 250 Moments
John Locke
4/21/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
How did the Founders come up with the famous line “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?
How did the Founders come up with the famous line “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT
America 250 Moments
John Locke
4/21/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
How did the Founders come up with the famous line “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship("Yankee Doodle" music) - [Narrator] How did the founders come up with the famous line, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"?
70 years before the revolution, 17th century English philosopher John Locke popularized the idea of natural rights.
John Locke believed everyone was born with inalienable natural rights that can't be taken away.
He described these rights as life, liberty, and property.
Life.
Everyone has the right and duty to preserve their own life.
Liberty.
Everyone should be free to make decisions about their life as long as it doesn't interfere with another person's liberty.
Property.
More than just land and goods, property referred to self-ownership and the right to personal wellbeing.
Later, Jefferson changed property to pursuit of happiness, which was a phrase Locke used to describe freedom of opportunity and the duty to help the needy.
That's how Locke's words became the foundation for American independence.
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America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT