The question of whether the Declaration of Independence is a legal document has been debated in the courts for many years now. Although the Declaration of Independence clarifies the identity of the United States as a free nation, it has generated intense controversy. Some are adamant that it did not clearly define the new powers that the thirteen colonies would acquire and did not define the identity of the United States; while others firmly believe that without the Declaration of Independence the United States would not be the free nation it is today. Thus, serving as the basis for many laws and documents drafted thereafter, the Declaration of Independence was useful in defining the rights of American citizens, the powers of the government, and the identity of the United States as a free nation. The argument for the “Declaration of Independence” which serves as the basis for many laws and documents is that it defines the rights of American citizens. The document states that “governments exist only by the power of the people they represent” (Jefferson, 1776). This means that citizens choose their own government because it is the people who govern themselves and not the government because “only consensus legitimizes or authorizes government” (Sorenson, 2007). Citizens can, therefore, choose to abolish the current government if, according to Thomas Jefferson's “Declaration of Independence,” it shows signs of tyranny. Furthermore, since the document states that citizens can choose their own government, this means that each state can elect a representative who will become the voice of the people in that state. This example shows how the Declaration of Independence helped establish citizens' rights... halfway down the paper... until the founding of the United States and helped shape many laws that benefited citizens rather than oppressed them. their voices. Because of this, the logic and reasoning behind its creation still applies to America today because it helped define the United States as a free nation, the rights of citizens, and the powers of government. Works Cited Farber, Daniel A. (January 2007). "Far older than the Constitution": Lincoln's theory of the nation." OAH Journal of History 21.1 14-17. America: History & Life. Jefferson, Thomas, "The Declaration of Independence," July 4, 1776, Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteenth USA. Sorenson, Leonard R. "Strauss, Anastaplo and Crosskey on "One Hard Nut to Crack": The Declaration of Independence"..