The Declaration of Independence declares the United States independence from Great Britain and establishes the right of the people to alter or abolish their government. It asserts that all men are endowed with certain inalienable rights including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It accuses King George III of repeated injuries and usurpations to establish an absolute Tyranny over the colonies. The document concludes by declaring independence and sovereignty of the thirteen colonies as individual states, forming a loose confederation rather than a centralized national government.