The Declaration of Independence founded the United States on a revolutionary footing without further committing America to continuous revolution. The document stands on the equality of human persons in their nature as rational beings to abolish their ties to one government when it becomes a menace to their “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Declaration was built on centuries of law, history, philosophy, and theology that inspired the Second Continental Congress in ratifying and promulgating the document. The Congress’s courage and wisdom are forever reflected in the Declaration of Independence, establishing America as a new people dedicated to liberty and law.

The ideas and arguments in the Declaration are not limited by time and circumstance; they remain true across each generation of Americans. They are our inheritance and a source of pride and living memory that must—and will—continue to guide us as we live our lives as citizens of this great country.