In 1776, leaders from all thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia. They asked Thomas Jefferson to write down why the colonies should be free. He wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Key idea
The Declaration says all men are created equal and have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It was adopted on July 4, 1776.
Why it works
The Declaration said that people have rights that no king can take away, and that a government should protect those rights. Because the king had not, the colonies said they would be free and form a new country. Fifty-six leaders signed it. John Hancock wrote his name very big.
Common mistake
Some children think the colonies became free the day the Declaration was signed. The Declaration said they were free. Then they had to win a war, which ended in 1783.
For the grown-up: In 1776 many people, including enslaved people and women, did not have the rights the Declaration named. Over the years, many Americans worked to make its words true for everyone. The document is kept at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.