"are created equal" - helping verb or linking verb?

In the following clause,

that all men are created equal,

is "are" serving as a linking verb (in which case you could say "the created (to be) equal men") or as a helping verb for main verb created (in which case one could ask...I think, not completely sure about this, sounds kind of weird... "how did the men create?" and you could reply "to be equal")?

Or better yet, is there any correct answer?

[I tried to start thinking about this... one question I had was, is it possible for men to "create" (in the sense that "create" == "spawn", or something like that)? Or does create mean something else in this case? Or am I missing something blindingly obvious?]