Our founding document is powerful and full of beautiful prose.  I have pulled a few sentences and phrases that I am fond of to post here.  At the bottom, there is a link to the full Declaration. Every American should read it annually.  Happy Fourth of July. 

The Preamble: 

(note that united is not capitalize.  Our Founders consistently referred to thirteen independent States.  North Carolina is one of those 13. 

"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

"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, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--"

The Reasons Listed in the Text:  

"To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

The "Oppressions" of King George are listed and worth a slow read.  Over time, some may say that our Federal Government has taken over some behaviors of that British Monarch.    

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

"... For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

"For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

"For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. "

 Dramatic Conclusion: 

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;  

"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."

The Declaration of Independence was signed by three North Carolina Representatives.  They are William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and John Penn.  These men, known as Signers are honored at the Guilford Courthouse Military Park.  Hooper and Penn are buried there.  A Commemoration Ceremony will take place at 9:45 am on Thursday, July 4.  

Guilford Courthouse

IN MEMORIAM / WILLIAM HOOPER AND JOHN PENN / DELEGATES FROM / NORTH CAROLINA 1776 TO THE / CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AND SIGNERS / OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. / THEIR REMAINS WERE REINTERRED / HERE 1894. HEWES’ GRAVE IS LOST / HE WAS THE THIRD SIGNER. / "LEE, HENRY, AND HOOPER WERE THE / ORATORS OF THE CONGRESS" / JOHN ADAMS' DIARY VOL. 2. P. 396, 1774