What Is the Declaration of Independence?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Step back in time to the creation of America’s founding document with this fascinating history for young readers, part of the beloved What Was? series. The perfect way to celebrate the U.S.A.’s 250th anniversary!

On a hot summer day near Philadelphia in 1776, Thomas Jefferson sat at his desk and wrote furiously well into the night. He was drafting the Declaration of Independence, a document that would sever ties with Britain and announce the establishment of a new nation: the United States of America. Colonists were willing to risk their lives for their freedom, and the Declaration of Independence made that official. Discover the true story of one of the most radical and uplifting documents in history and follow the action that fueled the Revolutionary War in this easy-to-understand narrative for young readers hoping to learn all about the foundation of America.

Michael C. Harris is a freelance writer and college writing instructor based in Evanton, Illinois, where he lives with his wife, two soccer-loving sons, a dwarf hamster, a gecko, and a really weird cat. He has written a number of books for kids—including Cool Science titles about artificial intelligence, weird diseases, and spare body parts for humans.