United States Declaration of Independence

A picture of the Declaration of Independence

The United States Declaration of Independence is an important document in the history of the United States of America. It was written in 1776 and says that the American colonies were no longer under the rule of Great Britain, but were a new country.

History

Before the Declaration

Before 1776, the United States of America was not a country. The individual states were colonies of Great Britain. They were called British Colonies. This means that the King and Parliament of Great Britain ruled the United States. The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men.

Effects

During this time, many American people were angry at Great Britain. Many say Americans did not like paying taxes to Great Britain when they did not have any representation in Parliament. The American people wanted to be treated like British citizens. When they were not treated like citizens, they felt that their loyalty towards Great Britain was no longer valid.

Taking action

Responding to actions taken by Great Britain, including the Intolerable Acts, the different colonies formed a Continental Congress to make decisions for all of the colonies. They met in the American city of Philadelphia. During a meeting of the Second Continental Congress, on June 11, 1776, they named John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut to form a committee to draft a document that would become the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration

Jefferson did most of the writing. Jefferson writes of the rights of people and the role of government. Jefferson then lists specific bad things that the government of Great Britain did, like putting people in jail with no reason, making taxes that were too high, and not giving respect to people who lived in the colonies.

What it says

The Declaration then says that because of all the things that Britain had done to the colonies, the colonies would now be free, independent states.

After arguing about it and making some changes, the Continental Congress approved Jefferson's document. They used this document to declare their independence. Independence was actually declared on July 2, 1776. The full Continental Congress ratified (approved) the Declaration on July 4th, at the Pennsylvania State House. This version was only signed by the President of the Congress John Hancock and the Secretary Charles Thomson. On August 2, 1776 a parchment paper copy of the Declaration was signed by 56 persons. Many of these signers were not present when the original Declaration was adopted on July 4. One signer, Matthew Thornton, from New Hampshire, who agreed to the Declaration and having joined the Continental Congress, signed on November 4, 1776.

Effects of the Declaration

The Declaration of Independence had many different effects. One of them said that they were now not part of Great Britain. It also said that all men were equal.

Effects on Britain

They made a new democratic government to govern America. When the king of Great Britain and Parliament heard about this they were angry. Great Britain and the people in America had already been fighting in a war. This war is called the American Revolution. America won the war, and in 1783 Great Britain had to recognize the independence of the new country, the United States, at the Treaty of Paris.

Effects on America

The people of America know that the Declaration of Independence is very important. Every year on the day of July 4, they have the holiday that is named 'Independence Day'. They celebrate this holiday to remember the day that the Declaration was approved, and the day that the United States of America became a its own country.Now we have parades, fireworks, and songs.

Americans also know the Declaration of Independence is very important because it gives the simple ideas that the people who started the United States believed in. It says that every person in this U.S has rights (to life, to liberty, and happiness) and that the government has to listen to our people. These things are what makes America a free independent country.

Present day

The Declaration of Independence is very old, but it is still here. The paper that Thomas Jefferson wrote on is now in the National Archives Museum near the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Other websites

• Free eBook The Declaration of Independence at Project Gutenberg
• Independence day
• Declaration of Independence, with Jefferson's account, all the signers, extensive related information, from ushistory.org
• The Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence - Text of the rough draft at Duke University's website
• Library of Congress: Declaration of Independence and related resources
• PBS/NOVA: The Preservation and History of the Declaration
• National Geographic News: "U.S. Independence Celebrated on the Wrong Day?" (July 2, 2004)
• Colonial Hall: A line by line historical analysis of the grievances
• Virtualology: A Brief History of the Declaration and ownership of Dunlap printings
• "The Speech of the Unknown" from the book Washington and His Generals: or, Legends of the Revolution by George Lippard, published in 1847

Maps, photos, and other media

• Deutsches Historisches Museum: First Printing in German of the Declaration of Independence
• "Drafting of the Declaration of Independence. The Committee: Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Livingston, and Sherman." 1776. Copy of engraving after Alonzo Chappel. (large version)
• "The Declaration of Independence" by John Trumbull. (large version)
• Interactive Flash Version of John Sumit Trumbull's "Declaration of Independence"
• Interactive High-resolution viewer with annotations of the Declaration on Footnote.com

The Signers

• The Price They Paid Sorting Fact from Fiction.
• Signers of the Declaration of Independence