The Declaration justified the independence of the United States by listing 27 colonial grievances against King George III and by asserting certain natural and legal rights, including a right of revolution.

Read the full text of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence, the broadside produced by John Dunlap on July 4, 1776. Learn about the diverse textual tradition of the Declaration and the causes that led to the separation from Great Britain.

Learn about the document that announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain in 1776. Find out how it was drafted, adopted, signed, and preserved, and what it said about the rights and freedoms of the people.

Learn about the Declaration of Independence, the first formal statement by a nation’s people asserting their right to choose their own government. Find out how it was written, adopted, and influenced the American Revolution and democracy.

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. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Learn about the principles, history, and preservation of the Declaration of Independence, the founding document of the United States. Explore the text, images, and articles of this iconic document.

Learn how the Declaration of Independence was designed to explain the colonists' right to revolution, inspire them to fight, and announce the creation of a new country. Explore its main sections: the introductory sentence, the preamble, and the list of grievances against King George III.