This Day in History: American Colonies Declare Independence (Saturday, July 4th)

This Day in History: American Colonies Declare Independence (Saturday, July 4th)

This Day in History: American Colonies Declare Independence July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia during the first Continental Congress.

12 colonies would ratify the Declaration on this day.

New York would ratify on the twelfth.

Written by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration was essentially a list of colonist grievances with the British.

Jefferson's ideas about equality were borrowed largely from European philosophers, including John Locke.

The famous words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ..." would alter the course of human history.

The United States would become an independent nation with the defeat of the British and signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.