Is the Declaration of Independence considered a war artifact?

I don't see how the Declaration of Independence can be considered as the start of the war. When the Declaration was signed, war had already been going on for a year. In the spring of 1775 Concord and Bunker Hill happened. read more

The Declaration of Independence was the Manifesto of the American patriots, and in essence a declaration of war on the British Empire. So yes, it should be. read more

It isn’t considered by nearly anyone to be the start of the war. Most historians see the battles of Lexington and Concord as the start of the war. Those battles and the battle of Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston happened over a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed . read more