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TheDeclarationofIndependenceINCONGRESS,JULY4,1776THEUNANIMOUSDECLARATIONOFTHETHIRTEENUNITEDSTATESOFAMERAICAWheninthecourseofhumanevents,itbecomesnecessaryforonepeopletodissolvethepoliticalbandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanother,andtoassumeamongthepowersoftheearth,theseparateandequalstationtowhichthelawsNatureandNature’sGodentitlethem,adecentrespecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimpelthemtotheseparation.Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienablerights,thattheyareamongthesearelife,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.Thattosecuretheserights,governmentsareinstitutedamongthem,derivingtheirjustpowerfromtheconsentofthegoverned.Thatwheneveranyformofgovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistherightofthepeopletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewgovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingitspowersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirsafetyandhappiness.Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatgovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses;andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshownthatmankindaremoredisposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferable,thantrightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurpations,pursuinginvariablythesameobjectevincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsolutedespotism,itistheirright,itistheirduty,tothrowoffsuchgovernment,andtoprovidenewguardsfortheirfuturesecurity.SuchhasbeenthepatientsufferanceoftheseColonies;andsuchisnowthenecessity,whichconstrainsthemtoaltertheirformersystemsofgovernment.ThehistoryofthepresentKingofGreatBritainisusurpations,allhavingindirectobjecttyrannyovertheseStates.Toprovethis,letfactsbesubmittedtoacandidworld.Hehasrefusedhisassenttolaws,themostwholesomeandnecessaryforthepublicgood.HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstopasslawsofimmediateandpressingimportance,unlesssuspendedintheiroperationtillhisassentshouldbeobtained;andwhensosuspended,hehasutterlyneglectedtoattendthem.Hehasrefusedtopassotherlawsfortheaccommodationoflargedistrictsofpeople,unlessthosepeoplewouldrelinquishtherightofrepresentationintheLegislature,arightinestimabletothemandformidabletotyrantsonly.Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesatplacesunusual,uncomfortable,anddistantfromthedepositoryoftheirpublicrecords,forthesolepurposeoffatiguingthemintocompliancewithhismeasures.Hehasdissolvedrepresentativehousesrepeatedly,foropposingwithmanlyfirmnesshisinvasionontherightsofthepeople.Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuchdissolution,tocauseotherstobeelected;wherebythelegislativepowers,incapableofannihilation,havereturnedtothepeopleatlargefortheirexercise;theStateremaininginthemeantimeexposedtoallthedangersofinvasionfromwithoutandconvulsionwithin.Hehasendeavoredtopreventthepopulationofthesestates;forthatpurposeobstructingthelawsofnaturalizingofforeigners;refusingtopassotherstoencouragetheirmigrationhither,andraisingtheconditionofnewappropriationsoflands.Hehasobstructedtheadministrationofjustice,byrefusinghisassentoflawsforestablishingjudiciarypowers.Hehasmadejudgesdependentonhiswillalone,forthetenureoftheiroffice,andtheamountandpaymentoftheirsalary.Hehaserectedamultitudeofnewofficers,andsenthitherswarmsofofficerstoharassourpeople,andeatoutoursubstances.Hehaskeptamongus,intimesofpeace,standingarmieswithouttheconsentofourlegislatures.Hehasaffectedtorenderthemilitaryindependentofandsuperiortothecivilpower.Hehascombinedwithotherstosubjectustoajurisdictionforeigntoourconstitution,andunacknowledgedbyourlaws;givinghisassenttotheiractsofpretendedlegislation.Forquarteringlargebodiesofarmedtroopsamongus;Forprotectingthem,byamocktrial,frompunishmentforanymurderwhichtheyshouldcommitontheinhabitantsoftheseStates.Forcuttingoffourtradewithallpartsoftheworld;Forimposingtaxesonuswithoutourconsent;Fordeprivingusinmanycases,ofthebenefitsoftrialbyjury;Fortransportingusbeyondseastobetriedforpretendedoffenses;ForabolishingthefreesystemsofEnglishlawsinaneighboringProvince,establishingthereinanarbitrarygovernment,andenlargingitsboundariessoastorenderitatonceanexampleandfitinstrumentforintroducingthesameabsoluteruletheseColonies;FortakingawayourCharters,abolishingourmostvaluablelaws,andalteringfundamentallytheformsofourgovernments;ForsuspendingourownLegislatures,anddeclaringthemselvesinvestedwithpowertolegislateforusinallcaseswhatsoever.Hehasabdicatedgovernmenthere,bydeclaringusoutofhisprotectionandwagingwaragainstus.Hehasplunderedourseas,ravagedourcoasts,burntourtowns,anddestroyedthelivesofourpeople.Heisatthistimetransportinglargearmiesofforeignmercenariestocompletetheworksofdeath,desolationandtyranny,alreadybegunwithcircumstancesofcrueltyandperfidyscarcelyparallelinthemostbarbarousages,andtotallyunworthytheheadofacivilizednation.Hehasconstrainedourfellowcitizenstakencaptiveonthehighseastobeararmsagainsttheircountry,tobecometheexecutionersoftheirfriendsandbrethren,ortofallthemselvesbytheirhands.Hehasexciteddomesticinsurrectionamongstus,andhasendeavoredtobringontheinhabitantsofourfrontie