Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is the founding document, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in which the thirteen American colonies declared their independence from Britain. Drawing on natural-rights philosophy, it asserts that governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed” and lists grievances against King George III to justify the break. The signed (engrossed) copy, now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., is the document Americans recognize today.

Example: The parchment displayed at the National Archives is the Stone Engraving-era engrossed copy signed in August 1776; when the document was once taken out of its frame for examination, workers found a note written on the back: “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th. July 1776.”

Common misconception: The Declaration is not the law of the government like the Constitution — it does not establish institutions or assign powers. It is the founding statement of principles on which the Constitution’s later framework was built.

Sources: Declaration of Independence, National Archives; Declaration of Independence transcript, National Archives; Milestone Documents: Declaration of Independence, National Archives