The Declaration of Independence

A short explanation of the American Declaration of Independence, 1776

By Gail K Lightfoot

WE

[The author, the signers and now You and I]

HOLD

[Keep, grasp, retain, believe ]

THESE

[Listed here]

TRUTHS

[Facts, actual, real, genuine]

TO BE SELF-EVIDENT,

[plain, visible, clear, obvious, known to all]

that ALL MEN

[Each and every living man, woman and child]

ARE CREATED EQUAL

[Each person is the same as any other person]

[Each person is the same in a court of law]

[Laws apply to each person in the same manner]

and THEY

[Each person]

are ENDOWED

[Given, provided with -- without asking or earning]

by their CREATOR

[Maker, nature or god – or because they exist or live]

with CERTAIN

[Some, fixed, established, sure, real, actual]

            UNALIENABLE

[Cannot be taken or given away or shared, belonging to the individual]

RIGHTS,

[Something each person has without any other person’s permission or consent, Something of yours you that you cannot share, give away or have taken from you]

that among these are

[some but not all of your rights are]

LIFE

[You OWN your own life, Your own life is yours to live or take]

LIBERTY and the

[You are free to make your way in life]

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

[You may live your life in freedom seeking whatever it is that gives you satisfaction and comfort – pursuit is to seek, search for, find]

-- that to SECURE

[Keep safe, be sure of]

these RIGHTS,

[Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness]

GOVERNMENTS

[Ruling body to set up the law]

are INSTITUTED

[Created, made, designed, set up]

among

[between, by and for those setting up the government]

MEN

[The word men here is used to say "man as a human" and includes all living men, women and children, all sexes, all races, all ages, all beliefs]

DERIVING

[Given, granted, permitted to use]

their JUST

[Fair and necessary only]

POWERS

[Authority, ability to enforce]

from the CONSENT

[Permission, agreement]

of the GOVERNED

[The people who set up the government, write the rules and agree to follow the rules].

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