In every stage of these Oppressions We Have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be ruler of a free People.
Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
John Hancock.
New Hamsphire
Josiah Bartlett
Wm. Whipple
Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts Bay
Saml. Adams
John Adams
Elbridge Gerry
Robt. Treat Paine
Rhode Island
Step. Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut
Roger Sherman
Sam’el Huntington
Wm. Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New York
Wm. Floyd
Phil. Livingston
Frans. Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey
Richd. Stockton
Jno. Witherspoon
Fras. Hopkinson
John Hart
Abra. Clark
Pennsylvania
Robt. Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benja. Franklin
John Morton
Geo. Clymer
Jas. Smith
Geo. Taylor
James Wilson
Geo. Ross
Delaware
Cæsar Rodney
Geo. Read
Tho. M’Kean
Maryland
Samuel Chase
Wm. Paca
Thos. Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Th. Jefferson
Benja. Harrison
Thos. Nelson, jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
North Carolina
Wm. Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina
Edward Rutledge
Thos. Heyward, junr
Arthur Middleton
Thomas Lynch, junr
Georgia
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
Geo. Walton
U.S. Constitution
(1787)
ARTICLE I – The Legislative Branch
ARTICLE II – The Executive Branch
ARTICLE III – The Judicial Branch
ARICLE VI – Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
PREAMBLE
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
ARTICLE I:
The Legislative Branch
Sec. 1.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
Sec. 2.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the