Declaration of Independence Main Author: Thomas Jefferson Written in Philadelphia at Independence Hall Accepted July 4, 1776

Original kept at the National Archives in Washington D.C.

One of the most important documents in history

5 Committee Members to write the Declaration Although Thomas Jefferson was the main author, here is Benjamin Franklin editing a draft by Jefferson.

Declaration is divided into 4 Parts:

Part 1 - Preamble (Introduction) 1. “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…”

Part 2 - Natural Rights “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.” Social Contract All men really equal? Unalienable: cannot be taken away

Part 3 - British Wrongs/List of Grievances A huge list of all the wrongs King George III has done to the colonies. “He has…...” This is the longest part of the Declaration

Part 4 - Declaring Independence/ Dissolving the Bonds “These united colonies are, and of right, ought to be free and independent states.” The Declaration was written to tell the WORLD the colonies are now free

Signers 56 Men signed the Declaration People were scared to sign it because it was a “Traitors List” They would be hunted down by the British Benjamin Franklin’s quote: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

John Hancock John Hancock stepped up and was the first to sign his name and said “There now the king can read my name without his spectacles”

Changed the purpose of the war Before the Declaration, colonists were fighting for their rights, such as gaining a representative in Parliament. After the Declaration, colonists were fighting for their independence.