The United States Declaration of Independence is one of the two greatest documents ever penned by man, the other being the United States Constitution. Adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, were now independent states and thus no longer a part of the British Empire. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration is a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The birthday of the United States of America���Independence Day���is celebrated on July 4, the day the wording of the Declaration was approved by Congress. We proudly offer this framed & matted Declaration of Independence! This exact replica is printed on antique parchment paper, set in a black matte with a distressed black frame made of solid wood and glass front. It will add character to any room... every Patriot''s home deserves a framed replica of the Declaration of Independence!