I'm not sure where you would get the idea that it was for selfish reasons. The declaration of independence is where the founding fathers wrote down the woes king George III had created on the colonists and they were demanding their freedom so they can be freed from the "tyrannical" power of King George III. Is it Ideological? Definitely. From the time they declared war on Great Britain to when they created the AOC and the Constitution, it's been all based on the same ideologies that molded this country. "Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness". It's the foundation this country grew off of and it doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.
