IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve political connections with another, and to assume the powers granted to them by the Laws of Nature, a respect for mankind’s opinions requires a declaration of their reasons.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with unalienable Rights, among these Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Governments are established to secure these rights, deriving their powers from the consent of the governed. When a government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and establish a new government.

Prudence dictates that long-established governments should not be changed for light reasons, but when faced with a long history of abuses, it is their duty to throw off such a government and provide new safeguards for their future. Such has been the suffering of these Colonies under the rule of the British Crown, which has repeatedly denied us our rights and instituted tyrannical practices.

The King has refused laws necessary for public good, dissolved legislative bodies, obstructed justice, kept standing armies without consent, imposed taxes without representation, and deprived us of trial by jury. He has waged war against us, plundered our coasts, and ravaged our people.

We, the Representatives of the united States of America, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, do solemnly declare that these united Colonies are, and ought to be, Free and Independent States. We pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor in support of this declaration.
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⢠⣿⠁⣰⡿⠁⠀⣀⣤⣶⣶⡶⢶⣤⣄⡀⢀⣠⠴⠚⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠙⢶⡄⠛⠒⠛⠙⢳⣦⡀⠹⣆⠀
⢸⡇⢠⣿⣠⣴⣿⡟⢉⣠⠤⠶⠶⠾⠯⣿⣿⣧⣀⣤⣶⣾⣿⡿⠿⠛⠋⢙⣛⡛⠳⣄⡀⠙⣷⡀⢹⡆
⢸⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⠞⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣤⣤⠬⠉⠛⠻⠿⠟⠉⢀⣠⢞⣭⣤⣤⣍⠙⠺⢷⡀⢸⡇⠀⣿
⢸⠀⢸⣿⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⠞⣫⢗⣫⢽⣶⣤⣀⠉⠛⣶⠖⠛⠀⣾⡷⣾⠋⣻⡆⠀⠀⡇⣼⠇⠀⣿
⢸⠀⠀⣿⣿⡇⢠⡤⠔⣋⡤⠞⠁⢸⣷⣾⣯⣹⣿⡆⢀⣏⠀⠈⠈⣿⣷⣼⣿⠿⠷⣴⡞⠀⣿⠀⠀⣿
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