Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words in the Declaration of Independence inaugurated an “experiment” in self-government that continues to this day. Although the results have never been perfect, few other documents have had as profound and as enduring an influence on the modern world.

What the Declaration Did and Did Not Say

The Declaration of Independence Turns South

Independence for Me, But Not for Thee

Further reading

• David Armitage The Standard of Independenc

• The Declaration of Independence and Indigenous Nations

• The Declaration of the Enslaved

Jefferson’s Revolutionary Language

The Return of the Anti-Federalists

The Standard of Independence

From the American Revolution to Universal Suffrage

From Jefferson to Nehru