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The Declaration of Independence contains/ important ideas/ about the American system/ of government./ The Declaration/ of Independence states that/ all people are created/ equal/ and have “certain unalienable rights./” These are /rights /that no government can change/ or take away./

The author of the Declaration,/ Thomas Jefferson, wrote that/ the American colonies should be/ independent/ because Great Britain did not respect/ the basic rights/ of people/ in the colonies./ Jefferson believed that/ a government exists/ only if the people think it should./ He believed/ in the idea that/ the people create/ their own government/ and consent,/ or agree,/ to follow/ laws their government makes./ This idea is called/ “consent of the governed./” If the government creates/ laws that/ are fair/ and protect people,/ then/ people will agree/ to follow those laws./

In the Declaration of Independence,/ Jefferson wrote/ a list of complaints/ the colonists had/ against the King of England./ Jefferson ended/ the Declaration/ with the statement that the colonies are,/ and should be,/ free and independent states./ The Second Continental Congress voted/ to accept/ the Declaration/ on July 4, 1776./

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* The reading text above is partially referred by USCIS Quick Civics Lessons “Learn About the United States” and only used for educational purposes.

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