The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted in August 1789, defined the rights of the citizen in post-revolutionary France. This foundational document emerged from the principles of the Enlightenment and aimed to establish individual freedoms and equality before the law. It declared that all men are born free and equal in rights, emphasizing liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. This declaration laid the groundwork for modern human rights in France and influenced other democratic movements worldwide, becoming a cornerstone of French republican identity and ideals.