The Declaration of Independence was written before the American Revolution. It was drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson and was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This document officially declared the 13 American colonies' independence from British rule, setting the stage for the Revolutionary War.
The writing of the Declaration of Independence marked a pivotal moment in American history, as it laid out the colonists' grievances against the British government and proclaimed the colonies' right to self-governance. The ideas expressed in this document, such as the belief in natural rights and the concept of popular sovereignty, have had a lasting impact on American political thought and the formation of the United States as a nation.
