The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States of America. Adopted by Congress on 4 July 1776, it explains why the United States decided to claim independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution. 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, 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 The Declaration of Independence. The Want, Will, and Hopes of the People. Menu Declaration text But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing Declaration of Independence, 17761 IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, Independence resolution first introduced in Congress. 1776, June 20 Spain matches France's one million livres to American rebels. 1776, July 4 Congress ratifies the Declaration of Independence. 1776, August 14 Hessian troops begin to disembarked on Staten Island. 1776, October 26 Benjamin Franklin sets sail for France from Philadelphia. 1776 Jefferson writes in his Notes of Proceedings in the Continental Congress of July 4, 1776: “[T]he debates having taken up the greater parts of the 2d. 3d. & 4th. days of July were, in the evening of the last closed. the declaration was reported by the commee., agreed to by the house, and signed by every member present except Mr. Dickinson.” A look at the events leading up to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and how news of it spread in the weeks, months, and years after. On July 4, the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence, drafted by a five-man committee including Franklin and John Adams but written mainly by Jefferson. That same A timeline of the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence, with links to detailed information about these events, and the people, places and things surrounding the Declaration and the Revolutionary War Declaration of Independence, document approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, that announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. On July 2 the Congress had resolved that ‘these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States.’ By June 5, 1823, almost exactly 47 years after Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration, the (Washington) National Intelligencer was able to report "that Mr. William J. Stone, a respectable and enterprising Engraver of this City, has, after a labor of three years, completed a fac simile of the original of the Declaration of Independence, now Declaration of Independence - Text of the Declaration of Independence: 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 On July 4, 1776, after two days of debate and editing, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence submitted by the Committee of Five. The Declaration of Independence is made up of three major parts: the preamble; the body, and the conclusion. 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, 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 June 7, 1776 Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee formally suggests that the colonies declare independence from Britain. The Continental Congress later appoints a committee to write the formal document declaring independence. Thomas Jefferson will write the first draft. On June 11, Congress recessed for three weeks. During this period the "Committee of Five" (John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson) drafted the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson drafted it, Adams and Franklin made changes to it. Congress reconvened on July 1, 1776. Note: The source for this transcription is the first printing of the Declaration of Independence, the broadside produced by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776. Nearly every printed or manuscript edition of the Declaration of Independence has slight differences in punctuation, capitalization, and even wording. When Adams died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, his last words were an acknowledgment of his longtime friend and rival. "Thomas Jefferson survives", Adams said, unaware that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier. [266] [267] [268] The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. Fewer than 30 survive today. The Declaration of Independence appears in the Pennsylvania Evening Pos t, the first newspaper printing of the newly adopted document. Colonel John Nixon reads the Declaration of Independence to a crowd on the State House Yard (now known as Independence Square).
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() |