The Declaration of Independence : Explaining the Revolution
American political ideals and the Constitution of the United States were products of an era in which many people in the Americas and Europe reconsidered the proper form, duties, and powers of government, as well as the rights of citizens. American colonists grew increasingly impatient with British rule in the 1760s and 1770s, formally declaring their independence from Great Britain in 1776. Rebelling against British "tyranny" and having the opportunity to create a new form of government forced Americans to reconsider the fundamental purpose of government and to strive to create a government that would protect, rather than destroy, citizens' freedoms. The revolutionary era was one of tremendous political ferment. Americans considered a range of possibilities as they declared that government must be based on the consent of the governed; then they attempted to construct a workable government built on this principle.