The Declaration of Independence

In Congress, July 4, 1776. 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...

...a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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.

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it...

...and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes...

...accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable...

...when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism...

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance...

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly...

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone...

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people...

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny...

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms...

Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled... do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare...

That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States...

...they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown...

...and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce...

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

• U.S. Constitution
• Bill of Rights
• Gettysburg Address
• Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments
• French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
• Haitian Declaration of Independence
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Vietnamese Declaration of Independence