THEDECLARATIONOFINDEPENDENCEFirstDraftWhen,inthecourseofhumanevents,itbecomesnecessaryforapeopletoadvancefromthatsubordinationinwhichtheyhavehithertoremained,andtoassumeamongthepowersoftheearth,theequalandindependentstationtowhichthelawsofnatureandofnature'sgodentitlethem,adecentrespecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimpelthemtothechangeWeholdthesetruthstobe[sacredandundeniable]selfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequalandindependent;thatfromthatequalcreationtheyderiveinrightsinherentandinalienables,amongwhicharethepreservationoflife,andlibertyandthepursuitofhappiness;thattosecuretheseends,governmentsareinstitutedamongmen,derivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned;thatwheneveranyformofgovernmentshallbecomedestructiveoftheseends,itistherightofthepeopletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewgovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingit'spowersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirsafetyandhappiness.prudence,indeed,willdictatethatgovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses:andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshewnthatmankindaremoredisposedtosufferwhileevilsaresufferable,thantorightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurpations,begunatadistinguishedperiod,andpursuinginvariablythesameobjectevincesadesignto[subject]reducethemtoarbitrarypower,itistheirright,itistheirduty,tothrowoffsuchgovernment,andtoprovidenewguardsfortheirfuturesecurity.--Suchhasbeenthepatientsufferanceofthesecolonies;andsuchisnowthenecessitywhichconstrainsthemtoexpungetheirformersystemsofgovernment.thehistoryofhispresentmajestyisahistoryofunremittinginjuriesandusurpations,amongwhichnofactstandssingleorsolitarytocontradicttheuniformtenoroftherest,allofwhichhaveindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsolutetyrannyoverthesestates.toprovethis,letfactsbesubmittedtoacandidworld,forthetruthofwhichwepledgeafaithyetunsulliedbyfalsehood.SecondDraftInCongress,July4,1776,THEUNANIMOUSDECLARATIONOFTHETHIRTEENUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICAWhenintheCourseofhumanevents,itbecomesnecessaryforonepeopletodissolvethepoliticalbandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanother,andtoassumeamongthePowersoftheearth,theseparateandequalstationtowhichtheLawsofNatureandofNature'sGodentitlethem,adecentrespecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimpelthemtotheseparation.Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,Liberty,andthepursuitofHappiness.Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned.ThatwheneveranyformofGovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthePeopletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewGovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingitspowersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyandHappiness.Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatGovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses;andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshown,thatmankindaremoredisposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferable,thantorightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurpations,pursuinginvariablythesameObject,evincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsoluteDespotism,itistheirright,itistheir...
