On 4 July 1776, the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, severing the thirteen American colonies from British rule. Drafted principally by Thomas Jefferson, the document proclaimed that *"all men are created equal"* and endowed with *"unalienable Rights"* to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Though limited in immediate application — slavery continued for nearly another century — the Declaration became one of the most influential political texts in history. It articulated Enlightenment ideals in accessible prose and grounded the new republic's legitimacy in the consent of the governed rather than hereditary monarchy.
The American Revolutionary War continued until the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Declaration inspired subsequent democratic revolutions — the French Revolution in 1789, Latin American independence movements in the early 19th century, and independence declarations by dozens of nations into the 20th century.