“Pursuit of happiness” is the Declaration of Independence phrase associated with America’s 250th anniversary that names a natural right.
The phrase appears in the declaration’s famous passage asserting that all people are created equal and possess unalienable rights, including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In context, the sentence presents these rights as principles supporting the colonies’ decision to separate from Britain.
The phrase is often confused with language from the United States Constitution. “General Welfare” appears in the Constitution’s Preamble and taxing clause, while “Domestic Tranquility” and “Common Defence” also appear in the Preamble. They are important American political phrases, but they are not the Declaration’s three-part list of unalienable rights.