<P> The United States Declaration of Independence is the statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania State House ( Independence Hall ) in Philadelphia on July 4 , 1776 , which announced that the thirteen American colonies , then at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain , regarded themselves as thirteen independent sovereign states , no longer under British rule . These states would found a new nation -- the United States of America . John Adams was a leader in pushing for independence , which was passed on July 2 with no opposing vote cast . A committee of five had already drafted the formal declaration , to be ready when Congress voted on independence . </P>
who was the declaration of independence written for
the Second Continental Congress