Penned at the birth of our nation 250 years ago, “All men are created equal” remains one of the most consequential phrases ever written. Five simple yet momentous words in the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776, profoundly remade the world and ushered in an unequaled explosion of freedom and prosperity. If you believe that all men — that is, all people — are created equal, you share the fundamental idea of America and its founders. Everything that makes America great flows from “all men are created equal.”
Created equal doesn’t mean created the same. We are all born with distinct attributes. We differ physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Knowing this, the founders defined “created equal” to mean we possess equal worth and equal rights that include the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
