The Declaration of Independence

This is the original draft document

 

written by Thomas Jefferson, with additions-deletions

 

by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.

 

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/decindep.htm
 

 

In 1776, soon after the beginning of the American Revolutionary war,

 

the leaders of the war got together to write a letter

 

to the king of England.

 

They explained why they were fighting to be their own country,

 

independent of England.

 

 

 

Also they wrote that all men are created equal,

 

all men have some rights given to them by god,

 

and among these rights are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. 

 

They also wrote how the king of England was bad. 

 

 

 

For example:

 

"He sends lots of new government officials that we don't want, and he makes us pay for them."

 

"He won't let us buy and sell things from wherever we want. We can only buy things from England."

 

"He makes us pay all kinds of taxes without asking us about it."