Take notes about this passage and identify the key words. The Declaration of Independence is a document that was signed by a group of
people in the New World who decided to split off from the King of England. They
wanted to become an independent country. These leaders wanted other people
to respect them, and so the declaration was their explanation of why they were
splitting off from England. They believed:
 That all men are created equal
 That all men have some rights given to them by God
 That among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Among the men who signed this declaration of independence were Benjamin
Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.