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United States Declaration of Independence

1776 · 18th century

The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on 4 July 1776. Drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson, it announced that the thirteen American colonies were independent states no longer bound to Britain, listed grievances against George III and set out the principle that governments rest on the consent of the governed.

United States Declaration of Independence
Image: original: w:Second Continental Congress; reproduction: William Stone · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 state histories

Province of New HampshireUnited States

Great speeches

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death23 March 1775

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). United States Declaration of Independence. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/united-states-declaration-of-independence
MLA
“United States Declaration of Independence.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/united-states-declaration-of-independence. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “United States Declaration of Independence.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/united-states-declaration-of-independence.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘United States Declaration of Independence’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/united-states-declaration-of-independence (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻