Why was the Declaration Of Independence an important event in the American Revolution?

As many historians have pointed out, the colonies were losing the Revolutionary War when their delegates approved the Declaration of Independence. So it was not as if the British recognized independence when they declared it. But it was important for many reasons. First, it gave each colony, which had for at least one year expelled British governing officials, the green light to develop its own constitution. By the end of the year, most of them had done so. Second, it ensured that the Revolutionary War was to be a fight to the finish, without a negotiated settlement that did not involve American independence. Third, the principles stated in the Declaration (particularly the statement that "all men are created equal") have often served as a touchstone in American politics. Last, and perhaps most important, the Declaration of Independence basically paved the way for a formal alliance with France, an arrangement that was absolutely essential to actually winning independence. So the Declaration of Independence was a document of major historical significance.