se United Colonies are, and of good right ought to be,
free and independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance
to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and
the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and
that, as free and independent States, they have full power to levy war,
conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all
other acts and things which independent States may of right do. And for
the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection
of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our
fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Signed by order and in behalf of the Congress.

JOHN HANCOCK, _President_.

Attested, CHARLES THOMPSON, _Secretary_.

NEW HAMPSHIRE. PENNSYLVANIA.

Josiah Bartlett, Robert Morris,
William Whipple, Benjamin Rush,
Matthew Thornton. Benjamin Franklin,
John Morton,
MASSACHUSETTS BAY. George Clymer,
James Smith,
Samuel Adams, George Taylor,
John Adams, James Wilson,
Robert Treat Paine, George Ross.
Eldridge Gerry.
DELAWARE.
RHODE ISLAND, ETC.
Caesar Rodney,
Stephen Hopkins, George Read,
William Ellery. Thomas M'Kean.

CONNECTICUT. MARYLAND.

Roger Sherman, Samuel Chase,
Samuel Huntington, William Paca,
William Williams, Thomas Stone,
Oliver Wolcott. Charles Carroll, of Carrollton.

NEW YORK. VIRGINIA.

William Floyd, George Wythe,
Philip Livingston, Richard Henry Lee,
Francis Lewis, Thomas Jefferson,
Lewis Morris. Benjamin Harrison,
Thomas Nelson, jr.,
NEW JERSEY. Francis Lightfoot Lee,
Carter Braxton.
Richard Stockton,
John Witherspoon,
Francis Hopkinson,
John Hart,
Abraham Clark.

NORTH CAROLINA. Thomas Heyward, jr.,
Thomas Lynch, jr.,
William Hooper, Arthur Middleton.
Joseph Hewes,
John Penn. GEORGIA.

SOUTH CAROLINA. Button Gwinnett,
Lyman Hall,
Edward Rutledge, George Walton.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

We, the People of