The phrase “We hold these truths” begins the Declaration of Independence’s famous list of self-evident truths, a text linked to America250.
The full sentence continues by saying that all people are created equal and possess unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson drafted this passage as part of the Declaration’s explanation of political principles.
The wording appears in the second paragraph, after the opening statement about political separation and before the document’s long list of grievances against King George III. That structure matters: the Declaration first states principles, then describes alleged abuses, and finally announces independence.
The phrase is often confused with “We the People,” the opening words of the U.S. Constitution’s Preamble. “Four score and seven” begins Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, while “Give me liberty, or give me death!” is associated with Patrick Henry. Those quotations belong to different documents and eras.