History of North America

Did Declaration of Independence give freedom?

The Declaration of Independence did not immediately grant freedom to enslaved individuals in the United States. While the Declaration of Independence proclaimed that "all men are created equal," it did not address the issue of slavery. The institution of slavery persisted in the United States for nearly a century after the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was not until the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1865 that slavery was finally abolished in the United States.