What was the name of the 1776 document that formally announced the colonies’ separation from Britain?

The 1776 document that formally announced the colonies’ separation from Britain was the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted it on July 4, 1776, after voting for independence two days earlier. The document explained why the colonies considered political separation justified and listed grievances against King George III and the British government.

Its opening principles state that people possess rights and that governments derive legitimate powers from the consent of the governed. The declaration was both a philosophical argument and a diplomatic announcement intended to explain the American cause to domestic and international audiences.

The Declaration of Independence did not create the Constitution or establish the later federal government. The Articles of Confederation served as the first national governing framework, and the Constitution replaced them in 1789. The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, later recognized American independence internationally.