The Declaration of Independence reminds us of our inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Here as a mousepad colored in the red hues in popular use at the time of the Declaration’s drafting, it is a useful desk accessory for the history-loving patriot.

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.