The declaration of independence 1. who were the major contributors, and how did they contribute? 2. when did the document go into effect? 3. what was the document's primary purpose? 4. evaluate the document's lasting influence.

1- The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America is a document drafted by the Second Continental Congress - in the State House of Pennsylvania (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 - which proclaimed that the Thirteen American Colonies - then at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain - had defined themselves as thirteen new sovereign and independent states and no longer recognized British rule, instead forming a new nation: the United States. John Adams was one of the politicians who undertook the independence process, approved on July 2 by the full Congress without opposition. A committee was responsible for drafting the formal statement, which was presented when Congress voted on it two days later.

Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration.  Adams persuaded the committee to entrust Thomas Jefferson with the task of directing the drafting of the original version of the document, which Congress edited to produce the final one.

2- The Declaration was essentially a formal explanation of why Congress broke its political ties with Britain on July 2, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolution. The next day, Adams wrote to his wife Abigail: "The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable time in the history of America." However, Independence Day is celebrated two days later, the date on which It was approved.

On July 4 - after ratifying the text - the Congress disseminated the Declaration in various forms. It was initially published in John Dunlap's flyer, which was widely distributed and read to the public.

3- The content and interpretation of the Declaration have been the subject of much academic research. For example, the document justified the independence of the United States by listing colonial claims against King George III and affirming certain natural and legal rights, including the right of revolution.

4- The Declaration of Independence of the United States inspired many other similar documents in other countries and their ideas gained adhesion in the Netherlands, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Balkans, West Africa and Central Europe in the years before 1848.

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