unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in

tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely

to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and

to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to

till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly

these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and

their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to

their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,

the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to

the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the

the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in

the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that

the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly

the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has

sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which

settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity,

self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by

right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But

respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the

repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights

repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince,

relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right

publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to

provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient

principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem

population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for

plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the

paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a

over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and

out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing

our sacred Honor.

our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering

offences: For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring

of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine

of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and

of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to

of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation

of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction

neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the

necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws

most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will

migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of

mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to

lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of

legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the

introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away

into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses

inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together

fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own

from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the