In 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed the thirteen American colonies' freedom and independence from Great Britain. The Declaration asserted the colonists' natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as well as their right to alter or abolish any government that did not protect these rights. The document stated that the colonists had the right to choose their own form of government and to establish trade and commerce with other countries. The Declaration of Independence was a seminal document in the American Revolution and is considered one of the most important documents in American history.