THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE—1776 1IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen unitedStates of AmericaWHEN in the Course of human events, it be-comes necessary for one people to dissolve thepolitical bands which have connected them withanother, and to assume among the powers of theearth, the separate and equal station to whichthe Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitlethem, a decent respect to the opinions of man-kind requires that they should declare thecauses which impel them to the separation.We hold these truths to be self-evident, thatall men are created equal, that they are en-dowed by their Creator with certain unalienableRights, that among these are Life, Liberty andthe pursuit of Happiness. That to secure theserights, Governments are instituted among Men,deriving their just powers from the consent ofthe governed,—That whenever any Form of Gov-ernment becomes destructive of these ends, it isthe Right of the People to alter or to abolish it,and to institute new Government, laying itsfoundation on such principles and organizing itspowers in such form, as to them shall seem mostlikely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Pru-dence, indeed, will dictate that Governmentslong established should not be changed for lightand transient causes; and accordingly all experi-ence hath shewn, that mankind are more dis-posed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, thanto right themselves by abolishing the forms towhich they are accustomed. But when a longtrain of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invari-ably the same Object evinces a design to reducethem under absolute Despotism, it is their right,it is their duty, to throw off such Government,and to provide new Guards for their future secu-rity.—Such has been the patient sufferance ofthese Colonies; and such is now the necessitywhich constrains them to alter their formerSystems of Government. The history of thepresent King of Great Britain is a history of re-peated injuries and usurpations, all having in di-rect object the establishment of an absoluteTyranny over these States. To prove this, letFacts be submitted to a candid world.He has refused his Assent to Laws, the mostwholesome and necessary for the public good.He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws ofimmediate and pressing importance, unless sus-pended in their operation till his Assent shouldbe obtained; and when so suspended, he has ut-terly neglected to attend to them.He has refused to pass other Laws for the ac-commodation of large districts of people, unlessthose people would relinquish the right of Rep-resentation in the Legislature, a right inestima-ble to them and formidable to tyrants only.He has called together legislative bodies atplaces unusual, uncomfortable, and distance1 The delegates of the United Colonies of New Hampshire; Mas-sachusetts Bay; Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; Con-necticut; New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; New Castle,Kent, and Sussex, in Delaware; Maryland; Virginia; North Caro-lina, and South Carolina, In Congress assembled at Philadelphia,Resolved on the 10th of May, 1776, to recommend to the respec-tive assemblies and conventions of the United Colonies, where nogovernment sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs had beenestablished, to adopt such a government as should, in the opin-ion of the representatives of the people, best conduce to the hap-piness and safety of their constituents in particular, and ofAmerica in general. A preamble to this resolution, agreed to onthe 15th of May, stated the intention to be totally to suppressthe exercise of every kind of authority under the British crown.On the 7th of June, certain resolutions respecting independencywere moved and seconded. On the 10th of June it was resolved,that a committee should be appointed to prepare a declarationto the following effect: ‘‘That the United Colonies are, and ofright ought to be, free and independent States; that they are ab-solved from all allegiance to the British crown; and that all po-litical connection between them and the State of Great Britainis, and ought to be, totally dissolved.’’ On the preceding day itwas determined that the committee for preparing the declara-tion should consist of five, and they were chosen accordingly, inthe following order: Mr. Jefferson, Mr. J. Adams, Mr. Franklin,Mr. Sherman, Mr. R. R. Livingston. On the 11th of June a resolu-tion was passed to appoint a committee to prepare and digestthe form of a confederation to be entered into between the colo-nies, and another committee to prepare a plan of treaties to beproposed to foreign powers. On the 12th of June, it was resolved,that a committee of Congress should be appointed by the nameof a board of war and ordnance, to consist of five members. Onthe 25th of June, a declaration of the deputies of Pennsylvania,met in provincial conference, expressing their willingness toconcur in a vote declaring the United Colonies free and inde-pendent States, was laid before Congress and read. On the 28thof June, the committee appointed to prepare a declaration ofindependence brought in a draught, which was read, and orderedto lie on the table. On the 1st of July, a resolution of the conven-tion of Maryland, passed the 28th of June, authorizing the depu-ties of that colony to concur in declaring the United Coloniesfree and independent States, was laid before Congress and read.On the same day Congress resolved itself into a committee of thewhole, to take into consideration the resolution respecting inde-pendency. On the 2d of July, a resolution declaring the coloniesfree and independent States, was adopted. A declaration to thateffect was, on the same and the following days, taken into fur-ther consideration. Finally, on the 4th of July, the Declarationof Independence was agreed to, engrossed on paper, signed byJohn Hancock as president, and directed to be se
