The United States gained independence from Britain in 1776, following a growing unrest over British taxation and governance without representation. The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4 of that year, formally announced the separation of the thirteen colonies from British rule and articulated the Enlightenment ideals of individual liberty and self-governance. This momentous event laid the groundwork for the establishment of the United States as a sovereign nation and inspired other revolutionary movements around the world. The war that followed, the American Revolutionary War, ultimately confirmed this independence in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris.