The Enlightenment advanced political thoughts that significantly influenced the American Revolution, primarily through principles of liberty, equality, and reason. Thinkers like John Locke argued for natural rights, emphasizing that government should be based on consent and should protect individual freedoms. Montesquieu's ideas on separation of powers provided a framework for American democratic governance. These philosophies encouraged colonists to question monarchical authority and envision a government built on republican ideals. The Declaration of Independence mirrored these Enlightenment principles, asserting the importance of human rights and self-governance, galvanizing revolutionary sentiments across the thirteen colonies.