To many in the Continental Congress, war was unthinkable. So why did they finally create this revolutionary document?

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In This Day in History video clip: In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king. This video clip is courtesy of The History Channel.

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As World War II raged in Europe and North Africa, the United States celebrated its Independence Day in July 1941. It was looking increasingly likely that the U.S. would enter the war, and President Franklin Roosevelt delivered an address that equivocated America's own struggle for freedom in the 1700s with the struggle faced by her allies overseas.