The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American history. It is the founding document of the United States of America and it reflects the eighteenth-century faith in reason. The Declaration states that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". This statement is based on the idea that all people are born with the same fundamental rights and that these rights are self-evident. This idea is based on the philosophy of natural rights, which was popular in the eighteenth century. Natural rights are rights that are believed to be inherent in human nature and that are not dependent on any government or law. The Declaration of Independence also states that governments are instituted "to secure these rights" and that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. This idea is based on the philosophy of social contract theory, which was also popular in the eighteenth century. Social contract theory states that governments are formed by an agreement between the people and the government. In this agreement, the people agree to give up some of their rights to the government in exchange for the government's protection of their remaining rights. The Declaration of Independence is a testament to the eighteenth-century faith in reason. It is a document that is based on the idea that all people are born with certain fundamental rights that are self-evident. It also states that governments are instituted to secure these rights and that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. These ideas are based on the philosophy of natural rights and social contract theory, which were both popular in the eighteenth century.