TheDeclarationofIndependenceisoneofthemostimportantdocumentsinAmericanhistory.DraftedprimarilybyThomasJeffersonandadoptedbytheContinentalCongressonJuly4,1776,itannouncedtheseparationofthe13AmericancoloniesfromBritishrule.Thedocumentoutlinesthephilosophicalfoundationsofthenewnation,assertingthat"allmenarecreatedequal"andendowedwith"certainunalienableRights,"including"Life,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness."ItalsolistsgrievancesagainstKingGeorgeIII,justifyingthecolonies'decisiontobreakaway.TheDeclarationofIndependenceremainsapowerfulsymboloffreedomanddemocracy,shapingnotonlyAmericanidealsbutalsoinspiringmovementsforindependenceandhumanrightsworldwide.
