As a young man in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson pursues an education based on the ideals of the Enlightenment. After leaving Washington, Thomas Jefferson spent the last two decades of his life at ...

For many Americans, the entirety of the Declaration of Independence can be summed up by Thomas Jefferson’s stirring preamble: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. It was the most important writing assignment in world history. In May ...

Warning: This graphic requires JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. Historian Andrew Davenport arrived at Monticello with an extraordinary ...

Few documents have made a more profound impact on history than the Declaration of Independence. However, the story behind its creation and the true force of its legacy have often been a victory of ...

The main objectives of the Declaration of Independence were to announce a cause of action and formally justify the Continental Congress’s July 2, 1776, decision to separate from Great Britain. The ...

During this 250th anniversary of independence, Americans are presented with a familiar narrative—one grounded more in national myth than historical reality. It goes something like this: the ...

The men who drafted the Declaration of Independence read the newspapers in Philadelphia, and they were influenced by the rumors being reported. When the Continental Congress voted to declare ...

On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to declare independence from Great Britain.

The Declaration of Independence, along with the preamble of the Constitution and speeches and writings of our statesmen, help define the foundational character and values of America. The Declaration’s ...