The Declaration of independence--What does it mean?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This is arguably the most consequential sentence ever written in the English language, but what does in really mean. It certainly was not a statement of fact for the signers of the Declaration at the time. It became an aspirational statement which guided the nation and continues to guide us today. For many Americans it is a commitment which makes us uniquely American.