The Declaration of Independence is considered to be the founding document of American history, and is included as one of the most important documents ever, along with the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. The colonists wanted a new nation called the United States of America, and did not want to be connected to Great Britain. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE—1776 from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compli-ance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses re-peatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776) The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind Declaration of Independence: A Transcription Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) Declaration of Independence, 17761 IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, The Declaration of Independence (back) When we removed the Declaration of Independence from the Rotunda in 2001 to prepare it for a new case, we were able to look at the reverse side. No treasure map was found, but there were two lines of text, "Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th. July 1776" written along the bottom edge. These three documents, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have secured the rights of the American people for more than two and a quarter centuries and are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States. Declaration of Independence Learn More The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for Congress ordered the Declaration of Independence printed and sent to civilian authorities in each colony and to officers commanding Continental troops. The next day, the printer presented to Con-gress a one-page broadside with the title: “A Declaration By the Representatives of the United States of America. Look closely at the copy of the “Declaration of Independence” to answer the following questions. I. THE PREAMBLE [Paragraph 1) *NOTE: This is NOT the “We the People” intro of the Constitution! A Preamble is any introduction to a formal document. 6. A preamble is another word for a(n) _____________________ to an important document. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are the two most important, and enduring documents in our Nation’s history. It has been said that “the Declaration of Independence was the promise; the Constitution was the fulfillment.” On July 4, 1776, the United States officially declared its independence from the British Empire when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. On July 2, 1776, after months of deliberation and while directing battle in the colonies and Canada, the Second Continental Congress voted to declare the “united States of America” separate and independent from Britain. On July 4, the Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson. On this July 4, 2025, the eve of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of America’s declaration of independence and the founding of this Nation, ‘We the People’ hold to be self-evident these 27 truths about freedom—and about tyranny. Read the piece here. The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall continue Text of the Declaration of Independence Note: The source for this transcription is the first printing of the Declaration of Independence, the broadside produced by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776.
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