I. Introduction“We hold these truths to be self-evident, 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” (“Declaration”). These words, spoken by a wise and eminent man named Thomas Jefferson, were greatly influenced by the most profound philosopher of the Enlightenment, John Locke. From the beginning of the Enlightenment into the 21st century, Locke's ideas have been the basis of countless innovators, philosophers, and politicians; including our own Founding Fathers. From being an enlightened philosopher to creating bold new ideas, John Locke is the most influential person in history because he helped establish the foundations of modern philosophical empiricism, was a staunch defender of people power, and helped create of new and bold ideas. social transition to the Enlightenment. Through his superlative philosophies, John Locke successfully enlightened the corrupt 16th century and paved the way for a world that revolved around the radical ideas of the Enlightenment.II. BiographyJohn Locke was born on 29 August 1632 in Wrington, England, the son of a lawyer and a small landowner. Although he was born in a time of political turmoil, he received a great education while growing up ("John Locke"). At the age of 14, he entered one of Britain's leading independent schools, known as The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster. As a result, in 1652 he was accepted at Christ Church, Oxford, which led to his being elected to a senior fellowship in 1659 ("John Locke"). While Locke taught college for several years, he sparked an interest in experimental science. Evidently, he was appointed as a member of the Independence memorial. Independence Hall Association, July 4, 1995. Web. November 24, 2013. Fieser, James. "The History of Philosophy: A Brief Survey." The University of TennesseeMartin. UT Martin, January 7, 2012. Web. December 1, 2013. “John Locke.” The Biography Channel website. A+E Network, Web. December 1, 2013"John Locke (1632-1704)." Encyclopedia of philosophy on the Internet. IEP, 17 April 2001. Web. 28 December 2013. "John Locke - Biography". European specialization school. EGS, 1 December 2013. Web. 1 December 2013Locke, John and PH Nidditch. An essay on the human intellect. Oxford:Clarendon, 1975. Print.Shimomisse, Eiichi. “British Empiricism (Locke-Berkeley-Hume).” California State University, Dominguez Hills. CSUDH, 1997. Web. December 1, 2013.Uzgalis, William. "John Locke." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2012 edition). Edward N. Zalta (ed.), Web.