Declaration of Independence (United States)

The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. It was ratified by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776; this anniversary is celebrated as Independence Day in the United States. A copy of the document is on display in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The independence of the American colonies was recognized by Great Britain on September 3, 1783, by the Treaty of Paris.

Popular culture

A fictionalized (but somewhat historically accurate) version of how the Declaration came about is the musical play (and 1972 movie) 1776, which is usually termed a "musical comedy" but deals frankly with the political issues, especially how disagreement over the institution of slavery almost defeated the Declaration's adoption.

Related Topics:
1972 - 1776

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The Declaration of Independence is also the central subject of the 2004 film National Treasure, staring Nicholas Cage and Diane Kruger. In the film, a hidden treasure map on the back of the Declaration leads treasure hunters to a hidden cache of wealth, hidden from the British by Freemasons during the Revolutionary War.

Related Topics:
National Treasure - Revolutionary War

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