Collection: Declaration of Independence

Drafted by 33-year-old Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty. It was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and announced that the 13 American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states and no longer a part of the British Empire. 

Instead, they formed a union that would become a new nation: the United States of America.

Today, the Declaration of Independence continues to inspire people around the world to fight for freedom and equality.