The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is seen as that document that established the new nation of the United States. The date of its formal acceptance by the Continental Congress, July 4, 1776, is celebrated each year in the U.S. with fireworks, parties, citizenship ceremonies, and baseball games. 1976, the two-hundredth anniversary of that date, was a giant party, the bicentennial, with a special quarter minted that year to help celebrate.

All this for 2000 words written in long-hand on a piece of parchment paper? What's so special about the Declaration of Independence and what it says?

A history lesson read on---