"The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America" by Thomas Jefferson is a founding document adopted in 1776. Written primarily by Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, it formally explains why the Thirteen Colonies declared independence from British rule. The document lists 27 grievances against King George III and asserts natural rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Its ratification on July 4, 1776, marked an act of treason against the Crown, transforming colonial delegates into America's Founding Fathers.
Wikipedia link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence Project Gutenberg has three editions of this work: #1 is the original Project Gutenberg edition, and the world's first eBook. It is supplemented with images of Jefferson's notes and has had various other updates over the years. See also #300, which is substantially the same and provides some additional HTML markup. See also our revised edition #16780, which includes signatories and a little additional information.