What is the Declaration of Independence?

Formally, the Declaration of Independence notified and explained to the world why the the revolutionary generation of Americans rejected British rule. Although, as the National Archives note, the Declaration of Independence is not law it is nevertheless a powerful statement of what revolutionaries believed about government and its role in human affairs. Its authors sought to build support for the Revolution at home and abroad, to unite the troops fighting in the war, and to declare the establishment of the new country.

To learn more about the history of this founding document, head over to the National Archives.

Below you can find a transcript of the Declaration of Independence: