“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” -Signed July 4th 1776

This quote from the United States Declaration of Independence serves as the foundation for declaring human freedoms. It is the foundation for modern human rights.  Every person is born with certain natural rights that can never be taken away from them nor infringed upon. This was the idea that the American colonists were insistent upon when declaring independence from the royal crown. It is ironic that they inherited this very idea from the government and culture of England and it is this very idea that impelled them to separate from this government.  They were sick and tired of being taxed by Parliament and being berated by British soldiers on their land. They had had enough. The colonists wanted more than to just separate from the British, they demanded the king listen to them and accept responsibility for every single one of his wrongdoings. The Declaration of Independence was drafted between June 11 and June 28, 1776 in Philiadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, the primary author being Thomas Jefferson.

The declaration stands today as a symbol of sorts for The United states. Many people take immense pride in this document and the message they believe it represents; that america will take no aggression and be pushed around by no country, and that we will be the first to take action to defend ourselves. The document incites patriotism in the hearts of millions, perhaps some who don’t even reside in the United States.

Research links follow:

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/declaration-of-independence