The Declaration of Independence

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

Preamble

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 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; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

List of Grievances Against King George III

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

• 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 refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people.
• He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant.
• He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly.
• He has refused for a long time to cause others to be elected.
• He has obstructed the Administration of Justice.
• 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.
• He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
• He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution.
• For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.
• For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders.
• For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.
• For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.
• For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.
• For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences.
• For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province.
• For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws.
• For suspending our own Legislatures.
• 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.
• He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death.
• He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country.
• He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us.

Declaration of Independence

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, 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; 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; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.

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.

The 56 Signers