QuoteQuest“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
— Thomas Jefferson, 1776
Verification
VerifiedWording confirmed against a primary source.
Jefferson drafted the text; it was edited by the committee and Congress, so it is a collective document.
Source
- Title
- Declaration of Independence
- Type
- document · Primary source
- Date
- 4 July 1776
- Location
- Second paragraph
- Held by
- National Archives
Context
Adopted by the Continental Congress announcing separation from Great Britain.
What it means
Asserts natural rights and the principle that government derives from the people.
Cite this source
Jefferson, Thomas. (4 July 1776). Declaration of Independence. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
Check citations against your institution's style guide; some details may be missing.
Provenance: Manually entered from the National Archives transcript.