The Declaration of Independence is the public and diplomatic expression to explain the outcome of a volume of public and private congressional work, correspondence, and diplomacy with Great Britain to address colonial grievances with Parliament and the King.
The document does not stand alone, or create the USA. In fact it was itself created in response to the Lee Resolution, also known as the Resolution for Independence, which did so. Richard Henry Lee introduced his resolution June 7, 1776 and it passed July 2, 1776. It officially created the USA. Its text reads,
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right 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. That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances. That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.
The Declaration of Independence was submitted to the Congress by the committee of five men who created it. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft. It was debated between July 2 and passed on July 4.
You may read this most significant of our founding documents here,
https://ift.tt/OvJoEpC.

(Feed generated with FetchRSS)
Read all of the articles from Constitutional Grounds, at their site.