The document that declared the independence of the United States from Britain is the Declaration of Independence. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration outlined the colonies' grievances against King George III and articulated the fundamental principles of individual rights and government based on the consent of the governed. Its assertion that "all men are created equal" and have certain unalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, became foundational to the emerging American identity and later influenced democratic movements globally.