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； that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown，and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Bri tain， is and ought to be totally dissolved； and that as Free and Independent States， they have full Power to levy War， conclude Peace，contract Alliances， establish Commerce， and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. An d 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.
JOHN HANCOCK， President
Attested， 插RLES THOMSON， Secretary
New Hampshire： JOSIAH BARTLETT， WILLIAM WHIPPLE， MATTHEW THORNTON
Massachusetts-Bay： SAMUEL ADAMS， JOHN ADAMS， ROBERT TREAT PAINE， ELBRIDGE GERRY
Rhode Island： STEPHEN HOPKINS， WILLIAM ELLERY
Connecticut： ROGER 射RMAN， SAMUEL HUNTINGTON， WILLIAM WILLIAMS， OLIVER WOLCOTT
Georgia： BUTTON GWINNETT， LYMAN HALL， GEO. WALTON
Maryland： SAMUEL 插SE， WILLIAM PACA， THOMAS STONE， 插RLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
Virginia： GEORGE WYTHE， RI插RD HENRY LEE， THOMAS JEFFERSON， BENJAMIN HARRISON， THOMAS NELSON， JR.， FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE， CARTER BRAXTON.