00:00:00 In the summer of 1776, the Founders of the United States signed a single document declaring their intention to bring an end to British rule in the Thirteen Colonies. The Declaration of Independence would lay the foundation for the new country - and change the course of history. But what exactly did it say? The Revolutionary War had been raging for over a year when the Founders decided to write the Declaration of Independence - to convince the many colonists loyal to the British Empire, that the Revolutionaries’ cause was justified.

00:00:41 The document outlined 27 grievances with King George III and the British parliament including: imposing taxes without consent, being deprived of the right to trial by jury, and the quartering of British troops; Created by a committee of five, the Declaration of Independence laid out the Founders’ ideals for a future government. The famous preamble states that “All men are created equal” and have rights that cannot be taken away - such as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

00:01:15 The first draft of the Declaration denounced slavery - but this section did not survive debate among members of the Continental Congress, many of whom were enslavers. The Founders’ primary aim was to set the new nation on a path to freedom, equality, and representative government. After much debate, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was unanimously adopted by the Continental Congress.

00:01:40 The colonists distributed around 200 poster-sized copies throughout the 13 colonies. Its first public reading took place in front of cheering crowds in Philadelphia on July 8th. An important document in the history of the United States, the Declaration of Independence was an inspiration for many Revolutionaries. And since its creation, it has also inspired leaders around the world to draw on its principles of representation, freedom, and equality.