The Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4th 1776, is one of the most important documents in American history. It helped to define America's values and its freedom, as it still stands today. The people of the 13 colonies had been trying to revolt from the power of Great Britain for 14 months while proclaiming their allegiance to the crown. In 1776, after the Second Continental Congress met, a decision was made that the only definite way to declare independence would be a statement to the British king. The colonists wanted to make clear exactly why they decided to take this action, and carefully presented their arguments in the Declaration.
             The Declaration of Independence can be divided into four parts. The first part is an introduction which explains why the colonies wished to declare their independence, and the necessity of independence for a successful new country. The second part describes the "unalienable rights," which are not granted by governments, but instead guaranteed to mankind at birth. However, the colonists felt that the current British government was violating these natural born rights, and that the settlers could create a much more effective government to run the new country. They stated that one of the main purposes of their government was to secure and protect these rights. Furthermore, the new government would be based on the consent of the governed, which should be the sole source of the government's authority. If the colonies' government violated the people's vision of a stable government, then it would be their right to overthrow it. The third part of the document is a list of grievances and complaints against King George III, who represented all of the British actions. These grievances are examples of actions that violated the criteria for a good government as stated in the second part of the Declaration of Independence. These grievances justify separation from the King's t...