The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was a foundational document of the French Revolution, issued by the National Assembly in August 1789.

It was inspired by the principles of the Enlightenment and the American Declaration of Independence.

The document proclaimed that 'men are born and remain free and equal in rights.'

It defined these natural rights as 'liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.'

The Declaration asserted the principle of popular sovereignty, stating that all power resides in the nation.

It guaranteed key individual freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equality before the law.

It also established principles of due process, such as the presumption of innocence.

While a landmark document, its principles were not initially extended to women or enslaved people in the French colonies.

It became the preamble to the French Constitution of 1791.

The Declaration has had a profound and lasting influence on the development of democracy and human rights around the world.