Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

The 1776 document that officially declared the 13 American colonies independent from Great Britain.

1776

The year the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

July 4, 1776

The date the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

Thirteen colonies

The American colonies that declared independence from Great Britain.

Great Britain

The country the American colonies officially separated from through the Declaration of Independence.

Official separation

The Declaration formally ended the colonies’ political connection to Great Britain.

Purpose of the Declaration of Independence

To explain why the colonies were separating from Britain and to justify revolution.

Philosophical foundation of the United States

The Declaration established the idea that government exists to protect natural rights.

Preamble

The opening section of the Declaration that explains the philosophy of government.

Natural rights

Rights people are born with and that government cannot rightfully take away.

Unalienable rights

Rights that cannot be surrendered, transferred, or taken away by government.

Life

A natural right listed in the Declaration of Independence.

Liberty

A natural right listed in the Declaration of Independence.

Pursuit of Happiness

A natural right in the Declaration meaning people have the right to seek fulfillment and well

All people are created equal

The Declaration’s principle that people have equal natural rights.

Social contract

The idea that people create government to protect their natural rights.

Government’s purpose

According to the Declaration, government exists to secure the people’s natural rights.

Consent of the governed

The idea that government gets its power from the permission of the people.

Just powers

Legitimate government powers that come from the consent of the governed.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that political power ultimately belongs to the people.

Right to revolution

The right of people to change or overthrow a government that becomes tyrannical.

Breaking the social contract

When government fails to protect natural rights and becomes oppressive.

Tyranny

Abusive government power that violates the rights of the people.

Oppressive government

A government that abuses power and denies people their rights.

Right to alter or abolish government

The people’s right to change or remove a government that fails to protect their rights.

Moral duty to resist tyranny

The Declaration argues that people may have a duty to oppose a government that becomes destructive of their rights.

Establishing a new government

The people’s right to create a better government after removing an oppressive one.

Indictment

The section of the Declaration that lists formal accusations against King George III.

Grievances

The specific complaints listed against King George III and British rule.

King George III

The British king accused in the Declaration of violating colonial rights.

Evidence of tyranny

The Declaration lists specific abuses by King George III to prove that revolution was justified.

Taxation without representation

A major grievance that Britain taxed the colonies without their consent or elected representation.

Economic exploitation

The complaint that Britain used the colonies for financial benefit without respecting their rights.

Denial of self

rule

Colonial legislatures

Local lawmaking bodies in the colonies that the King was accused of suspending or interfering with.

Suspending colonial legislatures

A grievance claiming the King blocked or shut down colonial self

Quartering troops

Forcing colonists to house British soldiers.

Quartering troops in private homes

A grievance that British soldiers were placed in colonists’ homes without proper consent.

Standing armies

Permanent military forces kept among the people during peacetime.

Military power over civil power

A grievance that the King used soldiers to control civilian government.

Denial of trials by jury

A grievance that colonists were denied the right to be judged by local juries.

Trial by jury

The right to have legal cases decided by a jury of ordinary citizens.

Fair trial rights

Legal protections that prevent government from punishing people unfairly.

Rule of law

The principle that government must follow established laws and cannot act arbitrarily.

Arbitrary government

Government that acts without legal limits or consent.

Abuse of executive power

The misuse of power by a ruler or executive authority.

Declaration’s conclusion

The final section where the colonies formally declare independence.

Final declaration

The statement that the colonies are no longer politically connected to Britain.

Severing political ties

Cutting off official political connection with Great Britain.

Free and Independent States

The new status claimed by the colonies after declaring independence.

Sovereign status

The power of a state or nation to govern itself independently.

Rebellious territories

How Britain viewed the colonies before independence was declared.

Independent nationhood

The colonies’ claim that they were no longer dependent on British authority.

Power to wage war

One power claimed by the colonies as independent states.

Power to make peace

The authority to end war or create peace agreements.

Power to form alliances

The ability to make agreements with other nations.

Power to conduct foreign relations

The ability of independent states to deal with other countries.

Declaration of Independence and American Revolution

The Declaration justified the colonies’ armed rebellion against Britain.

Declaration of Independence and John Locke

The Declaration reflects Locke’s ideas of natural rights, consent of the governed, and the right to revolution.

Declaration of Independence and social contract theory

The document argues that government is based on an agreement to protect rights.

Declaration of Independence and popular government

The Declaration supports the idea that government power comes from the people.

Declaration of Independence and limited government

The Declaration argues that government must be limited by the purpose of protecting rights.

Declaration of Independence and civic literacy

The document teaches key American principles such as natural rights, consent, equality, self

Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

The Declaration provided the ideals of liberty and self

Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights

The grievances about unfair government power influenced later protections for speech, petition, jury trials, due process, and limits on government abuse.

Declaration of Independence and taxation

The document helped establish the American belief that taxation requires representation and consent.

Declaration of Independence and self

government

Declaration of Independence and equality

The document asserted that all people are created equal in their natural rights.

Declaration of Independence and liberty

The document made liberty a central purpose of American government.

Declaration of Independence and revolution

The document explains when revolution can be justified.

Declaration of Independence and grievances

The document uses specific complaints to prove that Britain violated colonial rights.

Declaration of Independence and sovereignty

The colonies claimed the full powers of independent states.

Main legacy of the Declaration of Independence

It declared independence, justified revolution, listed grievances against King George III, and established American ideals of natural rights, consent, equality, and self