The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States, adopted unanimously by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Principally drafted by Thomas Jefferson with input from the Committee of Five, it announced the result of the Lee Resolution, passed two days earlier, that the Thirteen Colonies were independent states no longer subject to British rule. The Declaration justified separation by asserting the principles of natural rights, government by consent, and the right of revolution, while listing grievances against George III. Its assertion that "all men are created equal" has become one of the most influential statements in political history, shaping democratic and independence movements worldwide. The image shows the engrossed parchment copy prepared by Timothy Matlack and signed by the delegates. This version, signed primarily on August 2, is preserved in the Charters of Freedom of the National Archives Building and is generally considered to be the official document.

Document credit: Thomas Jefferson; prepared by Timothy Matlack and photographed by the National Archives and Records Administration