“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain undeniable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

The authors of the Declaration of Independence wanted to inspire Americans. They needed to do it, as they were asking them to put their lives on the line for the cause. A cause that meant a threat to everyone’s sense of security, economic stability, and identity. They were declaring independence from the mother country and couldn’t know what would happen once Congress adopted it.

Looking back, everything seems clear and straightforward.

But, for those writing and adopting the Declaration of Independence, things were not predictable.

They actually had to discover what these words meant.

Slavery still had to be abolished. The LGBT movement still had to determine that it exists. Voting rights still had to be given equally, that is to those who can now vote.

Whatever these rights are, the perception of what they are as well as their implementation is still changing.