FREEDOM SHRINE

The Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration that the American colonies would sever their colonial status under the British Empire and strive toward establishing their own nation. Primarily attributed to the efforts of Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence would serve to present the reason for secession and the establishment of the United States, and the message of the Declaration of Independence would go on to have international influence, inspiring many during the French Revolution. The famous section of the Declaration stating that “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.” has been controversial since the publishing of the Declaration, seeing as the United States still practiced widespread slavery and subjugation of black and indigenous peoples throughout all 13 states, leaving many to give the critique that these “certain unalienable Rights” only applied to the rich, male, white elite of the colonies.