Answer: The Declaration of Independence was the document that officially declared the colonies independence from Great Britain. It was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The declaration was drafted by Thomas Jefferson. The first part of the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble, explains the natural rights of all people. All people are endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The second part known as the body, includes a list of grievances against King Georg III, including “imposing taxes without our consent” and ”quartering large bodies of troops among us” The list details why the colonies deemed independence nec. The final part, the conclusion, is the actual “decleration of Independence“ and is where the colonist officially severed ties from Great Britain, the mother country. Patriots who signed this document included, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, put their lives on the line. Their signing the document made them officially guilty of treason.