A Reading of The Declaration of Independence

On this day in 1776, in Philadelphia, after meeting for several days, a group of men signed the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of the United States of America. Composed by Thomas Jefferson, the person who would become the third President of the United States, the Declaration of Independence, which claimed independence from the English throne, included the now-famous line "Pursuit of Happiness." Some of the language in the Declaration is dated and no longer reflective of modern morals. Of greater significance, it led to the Constitution and our continuing pursuit of a More Perfect Union.To celebrate the 249th anniversary of the signing of the groundbreaking document, a group of 12 demographically and geographically diverse American women offers this reading of the Declaration of Independence.     Produced by Ms. Suzanne Gougherty & Ms. Kathleen Lee