French Declaration of the Rights of Man adopted

On this day in history, the French National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a foundational document for modern democracies. Developed during the French Revolution, the document sought to replace the old political system with a society governed by law rather than monarchy.

The Declaration was drafted by the Marquis de Lafayette with assistance from American lawyer Thomas Jefferson, who incorporated ideas from the 1776 U.S. Declaration of Independence. The final version was edited by Abbé Sieyès, focusing on human rights and liberties. A central tenet of the document is that all men are born free and equal before the law, reflecting Enlightenment ideals that challenged the divine right of kings and promoted human freedom and natural rights.