"The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 by the Second Continental Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia."
The document declaring the United States independence from Great Britain in 1776, which famously declared that 'all men are created equal.'.
Colonial America: Understanding the political and social milieu of the colonies prior to the Declaration of Independence.
Enlightenment Philosophers: Key philosophers and their ideas that influenced the Founding Fathers in writing the Declaration of Independence.
Taxation without Representation: The British government's policies that led to the colonists' grievances and eventual rebellion.
Boston Tea Party: A pivotal moment in the lead up to the Declaration of Independence, where colonists protested against British taxation measures.
Continental Congress: The meetings of colonial delegates that led to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson: The primary author of the Declaration of Independence and his political views.
Unalienable Rights: The concepts of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and how they relate to human rights.
Independence Day: Commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and its significance to American history.
Impact of the Declaration of Independence: How the declaration shaped American politics, society, and culture, and its influence on the later human rights movements.
The Declaration and Slavery: The tension between the ideal of human rights expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the reality of slavery in the country.
Magna Carta (1215): An English legal document that demanded protection for certain basic rights, including fair trial, freedom from arbitrary imprisonment, and access to justice. It laid the foundation for modern human rights law and is often considered as one of the first declarations of independence.
Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776): A document written by George Mason that adopted the idea of natural rights, which included the right to life, liberty, property, and happiness. This document served as the basis for the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution.
United States Declaration of Independence (1776): A document that proclaimed the thirteen American colonies' separation from Great Britain and declared that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789): A document that declared the fundamental rights of the French people, including the right to freedom, equality, and property. It paved the way for the French Revolution and served as a model for other declarations of independence.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): A document adopted by the United Nations that outlined the basic human rights that all people are entitled to regardless of race, gender, religion, or nationality. The declaration has since been translated into over 500 languages and served as a foundation for human rights laws across the world.
South African Freedom Charter (1955): A document that demanded the end of apartheid and declared that all South Africans should have the right to equal opportunities in education, employment, and land reform. It served as a blueprint for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
Palestinian Declaration of Independence (1988): A document that declared Palestine as an independent state, with the right to self-determination and sovereignty over its own territory. It was a pivotal moment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The declaration explains to the world why the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as independent sovereign states no longer subject to British colonial rule."
"The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress."
"The signatories include delegates from New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia."
"John Adams, a leading proponent of independence, persuaded the Committee of Five to charge Thomas Jefferson with writing the document's original draft, which the Second Continental Congress then edited."
"Its original purpose was to announce independence, and references to the text of the declaration were few in the following years."
"Jefferson's original draft is currently preserved at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., complete with changes made by Adams and Benjamin Franklin, and Jefferson's notes of changes made by Congress."
"The best-known version of the Declaration is the signed copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., which is popularly regarded as the official document."
"The declaration justified the independence of the United States by listing 27 colonial grievances against King George III."
"...asserting certain natural and legal rights, including a right of revolution."
"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."
"This view was notably promoted by Lincoln, who considered the Declaration to be the foundation of his political philosophy..."
"...the document contains 'the most potent and consequential words in American history'."
"The Declaration of Independence inspired many similar documents in other countries..."
"...the first being the 1789 Declaration of United Belgian States issued during the Brabant Revolution in the Austrian Netherlands."
"...Europe, Latin America, Africa (Liberia), and Oceania (New Zealand) during the first half of the 19th century."
"It was initially published as the printed Dunlap broadside that was widely distributed and read to the public."
"The copy, engrossed by Timothy Matlack, was ordered by Congress on July 19."
"...signed primarily on August 2, 1776."
"The Lee Resolution for independence was passed unanimously by the Congress on July 2, 1776."