The Unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, also known as the Declaration of Independence, was a document adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to British rule and were now independent states. The document stated that all men are created equal and have certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also asserted that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed and that the people have the right to alter or abolish a government that becomes destructive to these ends.