Thomas Jefferson directly states the reason for American independence as the colonies' right to rebel against a government that has become destructive to their rights and liberties. In the Declaration of Independence, which Jefferson authored, he asserts that when a government becomes destructive of the people's unalienable rights-such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institute a new government that will better secure their safety and happiness
. Specifically, Jefferson lists grievances against King George III to justify this rebellion, portraying the British crown as having violated the colonists' rights and refused to assent to laws necessary for the public good
. This rationale is framed as a formal explanation for the Continental Congress's decision to declare independence from Great Britain
. Thus, Jefferson directly states that the reason for declaring independence is the British government's repeated injuries and usurpations, which aim to establish absolute tyranny over the colonies, leaving them no choice but to dissolve political ties and assert their own sovereignty
