The Declaration of Independence marked a permanent break between the colonist and Great Britain. How is this historical document significant to the concept of rights in United States history

The Declaration of Independence sets the foundation for what rights American citizens should have. In the original document, it states that " 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 those are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This quote suggests several different ideas including:

1) That men should have the freedom to make decisions that will benefit them. We see this in the Bill of Rights, as citizens are given the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.

2) That these rights are "unalienable" meaning the government can never take them away from the citizens. We see this in the US Constitution, as the Bill of Rights consists of rights/liberties that the government can never take away from the individual.