feb 1, 1779 - Declaration of Independence

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The Declaration of Independence was a document declaring independence from Great Britain:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

The document itself was inspired by John Locke's Enlightenment philosophy. He wrote that natural rights, "life, liberty, and property," were inalienable and were God-given rights--rights that no government can take away.

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