The Declaration of Independence

We agreed to this Declaration of the thirteen united States of America. As time passed, we decided to break a political bond with another people. We had the powers of the earth. We followed the Laws of Nature and Nature's God to act. For the record, here are our reasons to separate.

We hold these truths to be self-evident. All men are created equal. The Creator gave all men certain unalienable Rights. These rights included Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. To protect these rights, Men made Governments. These powers came from the consent of the governed. When a Government destroyed these ends, the People altered or abolished it. In its place, the people made a new Government. It was made for the Safety and Happiness of the people. History and reason stopped governments formed for light and trivial causes. The past showed, when man suffered, evil was tolerable. It was easier than changing custom. Things only changed when the abuses and disruptions led to total Despotism. Only then, was it the right and duty, to end that Government. New Guards were needed for future security. This happened in the Colonies. The old Systems of Government had to be changed. The King of Great Britain had a history of injuries and disruptions against the people.

These acts produced absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, here are the Facts, for all to see.

He refused his Grant to Laws, for the public good.

He made his Governors pass needed Laws that required his Grant. Laws had no power without it. He delayed his Grant to these needed laws.

He refused to pass other Laws in the towns and cities. They had to surrender the right of Representation, in the Legislature. That was a dearly held right. Only tyrants feared this right.

He called together law-making bodies oddly. The times were unusual. The places were uncomfortable. They were distant from the place of their public Records. He did this to wear them down. They were forced to comply with his measures.

He dissolved Representative Houses often. This was done when he invaded the rights of the people.

He refused, after a dissolution, to hold new elections. This stopped new laws. The People at large had to make law. In the meantime, the State was exposed to outside invasion, and internal conflict.

He tried to fix the population of these States. He stopped the Laws to add Foreigners. He refused to pass laws for migrations. He refused to add new lands.

He obstructed the Justice System. He refused to grant Laws that gave Judiciary powers.

He made Judges dependent on his Will alone. He did this the whole time they held office. This included their salaries.

He made many New Offices. He sent swarms of Officers to bother us, and eat our product.

He kept, in peace, Standing Armies. This was without the Consent of our legislatures.

He made his Military above our Civil power.

He gave the Acts of outsiders, power over us. Our constitution and laws were ignored.

He Housed large bodies of armed troops.

He Protected them, by a mock Trial. There was no punishment for Murders on the people of these States.

He Stopped our Trade with all parts of the world.

He Imposed Taxes on us without our Consent.

He Deprived us, often, of a Trial by Jury.

He Sent us beyond Seas to be tried on overblown charges.

He Ended the free System of English Laws in other Provinces. He established an Arbitrary governments. He enlarged their Boundaries. He used them to make absolute rule in those Colonies.

He Revoked our Charters. He abolished our most valuable Laws. He altered the Forms of our Governments.

He suspended our own Legislatures. The British legislature had the power over us in all cases.

He abdicated Government here. He declared us out of his Protection. He waged War against us.

He plundered our seas. He ravaged our Coasts. He burnt our towns. He destroyed the lives of our people.

He sent large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to us. They killed, destroyed, and spread fear. He caused Cruelty & terrors. These were rarely seen in the most barbarous ages. This was unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He drafted our fellow Citizens on the high Seas. He made them bear Arms against their Country. They became killers of their friends and Brothers. If not, he had them killed.

He excited slave rebellions. He tried to get those on our frontiers, to join him. These are the merciless Indian Savages. They wage war that killed all ages, sexes, and conditions.

We asked to fix these harms in the most humble terms. His only answer was repeated injury. His every response was the same as a Tyrant. He was unfit to rule a free people.

We never ignored our British brethren. We said their legislature had an unwelcome power over us. We told them how we left and settled here. We asked for their native justice and kindness. We appealed to our common kindred to stop their overreach. We knew it slowed our connections and discourse. They ignored justice and reason. They denounced our Separation. We must hold them, as the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, and Friends in Peace.

We, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, plead to the Supreme Judge of the world. We asked with good intentions. We asked in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies. We published and declared. These United Colonies Rightly were to be Free and Independent States. They were Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown. All political ties between them and the State of Great Britain were totally dissolved. As Free and Independent States, they had full Powers. We can wage war. We can accept Peace. We can make Alliances. We can engage in Commerce. These are all things Independent States may rightly do. This Declaration is based on a firm belief, in the protection of divine Providence. We pledged to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.