A new National Archives exhibit will spotlight the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."

The Declaration of Independence was a radical statement for its time, penned two and a half centuries ago, establishing a nation based on freedom. And even amid historic divisions in our country today, those words still serve as a guiding light.

"We're still in that dialog. It's still an ongoing dialog of how we define our freedom," said Franck Cordes, capital campaign project director for the National Archives Foundation.

Cordes helped develop a new exhibit at the National Archives showcasing the people and ideas that led to that historic moment.

Now historic declaration-related documents that have long been buried in the archives are available for all to see, reminding us of our roots as a nation 250 years on.

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Over the years, the Declaration of Independence has featured heavily in everything from presidential speeches to pop culture.

In the film "National Treasure," there was a secret map hidden on the back of the document.

"It is written in pencil, 'Declaration of Independence' on the back, but there is no secret map," Cordes says. "The treasure is on the front."