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Español 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. Preamble to the Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence states…

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Declaration of Independence for Kids | American History Explained

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Liberty's Kids 114 - The First Fourth of July

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The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress of the British colonies in North America adopted the declaration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The document proclaimed that the 13 original colonies of America were "free and independent states." It was the last of a series of steps that led the colonies to final separation from Great Britain.

At the time the American Revolution began with Great Britain in April 1775 most colonists were not seeking independence. They simply wanted the British government to listen to their complaints. But as the war continued, many colonists began to favor freedom from British rule.

New reasons for independence from Great Britain appeared regularly. In August 1775 King George III declared that the colonists were rebels and hired foreign troops to fight them. The British attacked the coast of Maine and did great damage in Virginia. In January 1776 Thomas Paine published the pamphlet Common Sense. It pointed out how the colonists were being mistreated by the king. Many copies of the pamphlet were sold, and support for independence grew.

On June 7 Richard Henry Lee, a Virginian, asked the Continental Congress to consider declaring independence from Great Britain. The Congress appointed a committee of five to write the formal declaration. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft. A few changes were suggested by other members of the committee: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston.

On July 2, 1776, Congress accepted the idea of independence. Congress then debated the content of the declaration over the next two days. On July 4 the Declaration of Independence was accepted by the representatives of 12 states. The New York delegation accepted it 11 days later. It was first published in newspapers and read aloud to crowds in towns throughout the colonies. Members of Congress signed the official parchment document on August 2. The document first lists the complaints against the English king and then makes the actual declaration.

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The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress of the British colonies in North America adopted the...

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United States Declaration of Independence Facts for Kids

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Learn United States Declaration of Independence facts for kids

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The Declaration of Independence is the name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation-the United States of America.
See the fact file below for more information on the Declaration of Independence or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Declaration of Independence worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the 1600s, the British began to colonize the New World and established settlements, the first in Jamestown, Virginia. The Thirteen colonies were founded under the British crown. On October 26, 1760, George III of England ascended the throne.

In 1764, the British Parliament began to impose taxes on the colonists to compensate for the losses in the French-Indian War. The Sugar Act was implemented which raised taxes on British goods imported to the colonies, including sugar, wine, coffee, dye, and cloth.

After few months, the Stamp Act was passed which required taxes on all printed items produced and used inside the thirteen colonies. It included newspapers, playing cards, legal and commercial documents, and books.

In 1767, the Townshend Acts levied additional taxes on tea, glass, paper, lead, and painted colors. By the following year, the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts were imposed on the thirteen colonies. As a result, the colonists felt that the laws violated their rights, same as with the first promulgation of the Stamp Act.

On March 5, 1770, a group of colonists had an encounter with British Private Thomas Preston outside the Custom House on King Street in Boston which resulted in 5 deaths among the colonists. The event became known as the Boston Massacre.

Angered by the new tax, colonists in Boston protested against the British by boarding three docked trade ships and throwing cargo of tea overboard into the ocean on December 16, 1773. This event became known as the Boston Tea Party.

In response to the growing discontent against the British rule, representatives from all the colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia during the First Continental Congress held between September 5 to October 26, 1774.

It was followed by the Second Continental Congress on May 10, 1775 led by John Hancock.

On April 19, 1775, the American Revolutionary War officially began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

ABOUT THE DOCUMENT

The colonists were frustrated with King George and Great Britain. The men in the Second Continental Congress wanted to inform the King of how people were feeling, and what they wanted done.

Five men were selected to write a letter to King George. Four of the men were from the Northern Colonies. They were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. One man was from the Southern colony of Virginia. This man was Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was asked to write the actual "letter" because he was such a good writer.

The Declaration of Independence contained three important points the Congressional Representatives of the Thirteen Colonies wanted King George to know.

First, the documents told the King what they believed made good government. Secondly, it described which rules and taxes the representatives thought were unfair. The last statement the representatives included was to declare the colonies free and independent from Britain.

Essentially, the Declaration of Independence declared war against King George and Great Britain.

The Declaration of Independence was signed by the Congressional Representatives of the Thirteen Colonies on July 4, 1776.

Many believe that the most famous and important words in the English language are:
"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."

After the letter was finalized on July 4, the Second Continental Congress made copies and distributed it to the people. The most famous version of the Declaration, a signed copy that is usually regarded as THE Declaration of Independence, is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Underneath the word "citizens" there is a smudge on the Declaration of Independence. Historians have always wondered what was under the smudge. Special imaging technology has allowed us a look under the word. Jefferson made a big mistake and accidentally wrote the word "subjects" instead of "citizens".

The original Declaration of Independence was not well cared for. Congress would roll it up and carry it with them wherever they met. It suffered a lot of wear and tear. Finally, it came to rest under bullet-proof glass in a titanium case. The case has argon gas inside, which prevents it from decomposing.

The Declaration of Independence was written on parchment. Parchment is animal skin which is very thin and treated. Iron gall ink was used to write on the parchment, which is made by combining fermented oak marble galls with ferrous sulfate.

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. The youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence was Edward Rutledge. He was 26 years old. The only person to ever recant his oath in signing the document was Richard Stockton. John Hancock was President of Congress at the time. His signature is the first and largest on the Declaration. It is rumored that he signed it large and bold because he wanted King George to be able to read it without his spectacles.

Declaration of Independence Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Declaration of Independence across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Declaration of Independence worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Declaration of Independence which is the name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation-the United States of America.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

Declaration of Independence Facts

Five Writers

Mapping the Colonies

Women of Revolution

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Practicing My Rights

Land of the Brave

Picture Analysis

Events Vault

Independence in Letters

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Declaration of Independence Facts & Worksheets | School Study Resource

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The Declaration of Independence is the usual name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.

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Declaration of Independence

In the 1770s the colonists decided to stand up to their British rulers. The people believed that England's leaders could not properly lead the American colonies from so far away. By setting taxes so high, England was using the colonies as a source of income and did not seem to hold much regard for what was actually best for the colonists.

The colonies' leaders began to meet regularly to discuss the best methods of gaining independence from England. They decided to first oppose the high taxes. When civil petitions did not work, citizens destroyed several shipments of British tea during the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

A Continental Congress was formed in September 1774. Representatives from the thirteen colonies gathered to discuss ways to combat Britain's harsh rule. An official boycott of British goods was imposed.

Fighting officially started in April 1775 as England's King George continuously refused to accept terms proposed by American leaders. This began the American Revolutionary War. America's people knew there was no looking back and were determined to be free when the war was over.

Thomas Paine anonymously published a pamphlet titled "Common Sense" in January 1776, and he sold more than 100,000 copies of it during that year. The pamphlet simply outlined the reasons why it was best for the colonies to be an independent nation.

When England's military began to block American ports in February 1776, John Adams and other leaders knew the relationship between the two countries could not be repaired. The citizens already felt independent and were now ready to declare it.

In June 1776 a "Committee of Five" was appointed, which included the following leaders:

1. John Adams

2. Benjamin Franklin

3. Thomas Jefferson

4. Robert Livingston

5. Roger Sherman

These five men discussed the outline that the official declaration would use, and they appointed Jefferson to write the first draft. He quickly completed his first draft, gained input from others, and presented a second draft to Congress on June 28, 1776. Congress worked for a few days to revise this draft and heard from delegates of each state before moving forward.

The Declaration of Independence was officially adopted on July 2 and published on July 4, the date that Americans now celebrate each year as Independence Day. The document contains five sections:

The introduction states that it is sometimes necessary and natural for a group of people to want to break away and become independent to operate in a way that is best them.

The preamble presents an argument that justifies revolt as a last option. The American people believed they were being harmed by England's leadership and that a fight for freedom was the only hope for the future of their families.

The indictment of King George III addressed the harsh conditions England had placed on America. High taxes and questionable loyalty were discussed, among many other issues. The people felt that the king could not adequately lead America from England and that their needs would never truly be met.

The denunciation summarizes that the American people asked for justice and were ignored. It also states that leaders requested an amicable split and had previously warned that they would do whatever was necessary to earn freedom.

The conclusion finally declares independence, pointing out that America had no other choice following the harsh treatment from Britain's government.

The Declaration of Independence was first signed by the President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and 52 others also signed.

The Revolutionary War continued until 1783, when England officially retreated. America was an independent nation at last.

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Declaration of Independence - American History for Kids

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In the 1770s the colonists decided to stand up to their British rulers. The people believed that England's leaders could not properly lead the American colonies from so far away. By setting taxes so high, England was using the colonies as a source of income and did not seem to hold much regard for what ...

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Kids learn about the Declaration of Independence major event in the American Revolutionary War.