Complete Version of the Declaration - Simplified

The Declaration of Independence, signed by the thirteen united states of America, explains why they are breaking away from Great Britain. 

The document begins by stating that when people need to separate from their government, they should explain their reasons to the world.  The authors believe that all people are created equal and have certain rights that cannot be taken away, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  They believe that governments are created to protect these rights and that if a government fails to do so, the people have the right to change or get rid of it.

The Declaration goes on to list a long series of complaints against King George III of Great Britain.  They accuse him of trying to establish an absolute monarchy over the colonies.  They claim he has:

• Refused to approve laws that would benefit the colonies.

• Forced governors to delay important laws until he approved them.

• Refused to pass laws for large groups of people unless they gave up their right to representation in government.

• Called meetings of the legislature in inconvenient places to make it hard for them to work.

• Dissolved legislatures that opposed his policies.

• Tried to prevent the colonies from growing by making it hard for foreigners to become citizens.

• Interfered with the courts.

• Made judges dependent on him for their jobs and salaries.

• Created new government positions and sent officials to harass the colonists.

• Kept armies in the colonies during peacetime without permission.

• Made the military more powerful than the civilian government.

• Tried to impose laws that the colonists didn't agree with.

• Quartered British soldiers in the colonies.

• Protected British soldiers from punishment for crimes against colonists.

• Cut off trade with other countries.

• Taxed the colonists without their consent.

• Denied them the right to a fair trial by jury.

• Sent colonists to Britain to be tried for crimes.

• Changed the government of a neighboring colony to make it an example of tyranny.

• Taken away the colonists' charters and laws.

• Taken control of the colonial legislatures.

• Declared the colonists to be outside of his protection and started a war against them.

• Attacked the colonies by sea and land.

• Sent foreign soldiers to fight against the colonists.

• Forced captured colonists to fight against their own country.

• Incited rebellions within the colonies.

• Sent Native American tribes to attack the colonists.

The Declaration states that the colonists had repeatedly asked the King to address their grievances, but he had only responded with more abuse. They concluded that a king who acted like a tyrant was unfit to rule a free people.

The Declaration also points out that the colonists had tried to warn their British brethren about the King's actions and had appealed to their sense of justice and fairness. However, the British people had also ignored their pleas.

Finally, the Declaration declares that the thirteen colonies are, and should be, free and independent states. They are no longer subject to the British Crown, and all political ties between them and Great Britain are severed. As independent states, they have the right to make war, make peace, form alliances, trade with other countries, and do everything else that independent nations can do.

The Declaration ends with the signers pledging their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to support this declaration of independence.