Simone Lawson
The Declaration of Independence, adopted in July 1776, is a document that expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 56 delegates, including John Hancock, on August 2, 1776. The Declaration states that the 13 colonies are free and independent states, absolved from any allegiance to the British Crown, and outlines the rights of the colonies, including the right to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce. It also contains grievances against the British Crown, including the imposition of taxes without representation and the suspension of colonial legislatures. The Declaration has had a significant influence on human rights and constitutional law, with Abraham Lincoln referring to it in his Gettysburg Address as a statement of principles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | July 1776 |
| Author | Thomas Jefferson |
| Purpose | To declare independence from Great Britain and establish the ideals on which the United States was founded |
| Contents | A statement of sentiments widely shared by supporters of the American Revolution, including natural rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness |
| Signatories | 56 delegates, including John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, and most members of the Second Continental Congress |
| Publication | Published in British newspapers in mid-August 1776 and translated and distributed internationally |
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What You'll Learn
The colonies' right to new governments
The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, was designed for multiple audiences: the King, the colonists, and the world. Its primary purpose was to explain the colonists' right to revolution and to justify their separation from Britain and its King.
The Declaration states that the thirteen united colonies are "free and independent states" and that they are absolved from any allegiance to the British Crown. It asserts that all political connections between the colonies and Great Britain are dissolved and that the colonies have the right to establish their own governments and exercise all the powers that independent states possess.
The Declaration outlines a long list of grievances against the British King, including his imposition of foreign jurisdiction, the quartering of troops, the obstruction of trade, the establishment of arbitrary governments, the suspension of colonial legislatures, and the waging of war against the colonies. These actions were seen as a violation of the colonists' rights and freedoms, and as a result, the Declaration proclaims the colonies' right to form new governments that protect their natural rights.
The right to form new governments is based on the principle of self-governance and the belief that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. The Declaration asserts that governments are instituted among men to secure their unalienable rights, among them "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." When a government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right and duty of the people to alter or abolish it and establish a new government that better secures their rights.
The Declaration of Independence, therefore, justifies the colonies' right to establish new governments by appealing to natural rights, the consent of the governed, and the protection of individual freedoms. It marks a pivotal moment in the history of the United States, as it proclaimed the colonies' independence and their intention to create a new nation with governments that served the interests and well-being of their citizens.
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Separation from Great Britain
The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. By the time the Declaration of Independence was adopted in July 1776, the Thirteen Colonies and the Kingdom of Great Britain had been at war for over a year. Relations had been deteriorating since 1763, and varied perspectives existed in the colonies on the British Empire.
The colonies were not directly represented in the British Parliament, and colonists argued that Parliament had no right to levy taxes upon them. This dispute was part of a larger divergence between British and American interpretations of the British Constitution and the extent of Parliament's authority in the colonies. The British Parliament had enacted measures such as the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts to increase revenue from the colonies, which they believed was legitimate. However, the colonists saw these as a violation of their rights and freedoms.
The Declaration of Independence states that the Thirteen Colonies "are, and of Right ought to be, free and independent States"; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved". It also outlines the grievances of the colonists against the British Crown, including the imposition of taxes without representation, the quartering of troops, the protection of soldiers who committed crimes, the cutting off of trade, the abolishment of laws and charters, and the suspension of colonial legislatures.
The Declaration of Independence was viewed as a statement of principles and an expression of the American mind. It has had a global impact on human rights and was considered by Abraham Lincoln as the moral standard for the United States. The Declaration provided a philosophical foundation for the Constitution, which defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
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Human rights and equality
The Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776, is considered a foundational document in the history of human rights and equality. It expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and outlines the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. The Declaration asserts the right of the colonies to form independent states, free from the rule of the British Crown.
The Declaration includes a famous statement on equality and human rights: "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". This sentence encapsulates the belief in natural rights and equality that underpins the American Revolution.
The Declaration also lists a series of grievances against the British Crown, including the imposition of taxes without colonial representation in Parliament, the suspension of colonial legislatures, and the use of general warrants and writs of assistance that allowed indiscriminate searches and seizures, infringing on the liberties of citizens.
The document's influence extended beyond the United States, with translations and distributions of the Declaration reaching places like Europe, South America, and even Russia by the end of 1776. Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address, referred to the Declaration as a moral standard for the United States and a statement of principles through which the Constitution should be interpreted. Lincoln specifically highlighted the Declaration's assertion that "all men are created equal" as a defining principle of a free society.
In the years following the Declaration's adoption, most of the 13 states drafted constitutions that included declarations of rights, often mirroring the natural rights articulated in the Declaration. The Declaration, therefore, played a significant role in shaping the early American understanding of human rights and equality, both in its philosophical foundations and in the practical implementation of those ideas in state constitutions.
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Taxation and trade disputes
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was approved on July 4, 1776, marking a significant moment in the history of the United States of America. The Declaration proclaimed the independence of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain and established them as free and independent states, no longer under the authority of the British Crown.
In the years leading up to the Declaration, tensions between the colonies and Great Britain had escalated due to a series of laws passed between 1763 and 1775 that regulated trade and imposed taxes on the colonies. The British government, burdened by heavy debts after the Seven Years' War, sought to increase revenue through stricter enforcement of duties and new taxes. This sparked widespread protests among the colonists, who felt their traditional liberties were being threatened.
One of the main grievances of the colonists was the imposition of taxes without their consent, a principle known as "No Taxation without Representation." They argued that they were already represented in their own colonial legislative assemblies, which had the power to vote on laws and taxes for each colony. The British government, on the other hand, asserted that the colonists were virtually represented in the British Parliament, just like thousands of British subjects who did not have the right to vote.
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a particularly contentious issue, as it was the first internal tax directly levied on the colonies by Parliament. It sparked violent protests and petitions from the colonies, with many considering it a violation of their rights as Englishmen. The Townshend Acts of 1767 and the tax-free status granted to the East India Company in 1773 further fueled colonial resentment, leading to widespread boycotts of British goods and the famous Boston Tea Party protest in 1773.
These taxation and trade disputes were among the key factors that led to the colonies' declaration of independence in 1776. The Declaration specifically mentioned grievances against the King of Great Britain, including "cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world" and "imposing Taxes on us without our Consent." The colonies asserted their right to self-governance and the establishment of independent states, free from the imposition of taxes and trade restrictions by a distant and autocratic empire.
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War and independence
The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, was a statement of the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. It expressed the sentiment that the 13 colonies were "free and independent states", absolved from any allegiance to the British Crown. This was the culmination of a period of deteriorating relations between the colonies and Great Britain, which had been ongoing since 1763. The colonies had been dissolving their charters with England and the Continental Congress had been contemplating independence.
The Declaration was approved on July 4, 1776, and copies were sent throughout the colonies to be read publicly. The signed copy, known as the Dunlap Broadside, was published on the night of July 4 and the morning of July 5. It was signed by 56 delegates, including John Hancock, President of Congress, on August 2, 1776.
The Declaration was viewed as an influential statement on human rights, with Abraham Lincoln considering it a moral standard for the United States. It was a powerful statement of principles, including the famous line: "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".
The Declaration outlined a number of grievances against the British Crown, including the imposition of taxes without colonial representation in Parliament, the suspension of colonial legislatures, and the use of general warrants" and "writs of assistance" that allowed indiscriminate searches and seizures. It also accused the British of waging war against the colonies, plundering their seas, ravaging their coasts, and burning their towns.
The Declaration of Independence was followed by the Constitution, which defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States, and the Bill of Rights, which outlines the rights of citizens and states in relation to the Government. These documents, known as the Charters of Freedom, have secured the rights of Americans and are considered instrumental to the founding of the nation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Declaration of Independence expressed the ideals on which the United States was founded and outlined the reasons for its separation from Great Britain.
The Declaration of Independence states that the 13 Colonies "are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States", absolved from allegiance to the British Crown. It also asserts the right of these states to "levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, [and] establish Commerce".
The Declaration lists a number of grievances against the British Crown, including the imposition of taxes without colonial representation in Parliament, the suspension of colonial legislatures, and the quartering of troops in the colonies. It also accuses the British of "cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world" and waging war against the colonies, including the use of "merciless Indian Savages".
The Declaration of Independence is considered a significant statement on human rights, with its assertion that "all men are created equal" and endowed with certain "unalienable Rights", including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". This has influenced interpretations of the Constitution and has been cited as a moral standard for the United States.
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and approved by Congress on July 4, 1776. It was then signed primarily on August 2, 1776, by representatives of the 13 Colonies, including John Hancock, President of Congress. The Declaration was published in British newspapers and distributed internationally, despite efforts to ban its circulation in Spanish-American territories.
