The Declaration of Independence is a document adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which declared the thirteen American colonies independent from Great Britain. Its preamble famously declares that “all men are created equal” and are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The document lists the colonists’ grievances against the British government and concludes with the declaration of independence, stating that the colonies are “free and independent states.” The Declaration of Independence is considered one of the most important documents in American history and continues to be celebrated as a symbol of American independence and freedom.

         The document is based on the principles of natural rights and social contract theory, which were popular among Enlightenment thinkers of the time. These ideas held that individuals have certain basic rights that are inherent to their nature and cannot be taken away by any government or authority. The grievances listed in the Declaration against the British government reflect the colonists’ frustration with the ways in which their rights and freedoms were being violated. These included acts of taxation without representation, restrictions on trade, and the quartering of British troops in colonists’ homes. By laying out these grievances, the Declaration made it clear that the colonists were not simply rebelling against a particular policy or law, but against a fundamental system of government that denied them their basic rights and freedoms.