The full phrase is: “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.”

Context

This line comes from the Declaration of Independence and is one of its most famous passages. The National Archives presents it as a core statement of the founding ideals of the United States.

In plain English

The phrase means people are born with equal basic rights and worth. Over time, many Americans have understood “all men” to mean all people, not just men.