In "The Declaration of Independence" what is the purpose of the first paragraph?

The first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence
does not have a major significance.  It is simply an introductory paragraph telling what
the purpose of the document is.

The first paragraph first
states that the colonies are going to become independent -- they are going
to

dissolve
the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the
powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle
them...

By saying this, the
authors of the Declaration state what they are going to do  -- they are going to break
away from England.  This is the most important purpose of the first
paragraph.

The rest of the paragraph simply says that the
authors feel that they need to tell why they are breaking
away from England.  By saying this, they are introducing the next part of the
Declaration, which is much more important because it states the political philosophy
that underlies their rebellion.

So, the purpose of the
first paragraph is to state what they are going to do (declare independence) and state
that they are now going to say why they are doing it.