The Declaration of Independence was a
statement adopted by the Continental
Congress on July 4, 1776, which
announced that the 13 colonies no longer
considered themselves as part of the
British empire and instead regarded
themselves as 13 independent states.
Thomas Jefferson composed the original
draft of the document, and the Continental
Congress edited it to come up with a final
version.
The Declaration was a formal explanation to King George III
explaining why the Continental Congress had voted to declare
independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the
outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.
The Declaration justified the independence of the
United States by listing colonial grievances
(complaints) against King George III, and by asserting
certain natural rights, including the right to revolt.
Some of the grievances included:
• No representation of the colonies in Parliament
• Keeping British army in the colonies during a time of peace
• Allowing British Navy to force colonial sailors to fight against
fellow colonials
• Getting the Native Americans to fight against the colonists
• Unfair taxes
• Closing the port in Boston
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of
Independence includes
four parts:
Preamble
Declaration of rights
Colonists’ complaints
Declares colonies free
Preamble of the Declaration
Introduction to the Declaration of Independence
Explains why the Continental Congress drew up
the declaration
Declaration of Rights
List the rights of the
citizens
All men are created
equal
All citizens have certain
rights such as, life,
liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness
Republic: people form
the government to
protect their rights
Declares Colonies Free
Colonies are “free and independent states”
and they have the power to:
make war
form alliances
trade with other countries
In what year was the Declaration of
Independence adopted?
A) 1692
B) 1776
C) 1789
D)1792
Who composed the original draft of
the Declaration of Independence?
A) George Washington
B) Benjamin Franklin
C) Thomas Jefferson
D)James Madison
The Declaration of Independence listed the
reasons that the colonies felt justified in
declaring their independence. To whom was
the document written?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The Continental Congress
The King of Great Britain
The King of France
The Committee of Correspondence
What were some of the grievances the
colonists listed in the Declaration?
• No representation in Parliament
• Keeping British army in colonies during
peacetime
• British Navy forcing colonial sailors to fight
against fellow colonials (known as
impressment)
• Getting the Native Americans to fight
against the colonists
• Unfair taxes
• Closing the port in Boston