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Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration, largely wrote the first draft of the Declaration in isolation over a period of two weeks between June 11, 1776 and June 28, 1776 from the second floor of a three-story home he was renting at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia Believe me, dear Sir: there is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence—written largely by Jefferson—in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence. What Jefferson Meant The Declaration of Independence was less an act than an explanation. Having decided to break with King George III and the British empire, the Continental Congress in the summer of 1776 put Thomas Jefferson in charge of writing a document laying out the reasons why. What do we know about the documentary history of the rare copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights on display at the National Constitution Center? Generally, when people think about the original Declaration, they are referring to the official engrossed —or final—copy now in the National Archives. So begins the Declaration of Independence. But what was the Declaration? Why do Americans continue to celebrate its public announcement as the birthday of the United States, July 4, 1776? While that date might just mean a barbecue and fireworks to some today, what did the Declaration mean when it was written in the summer of 1776? On the one hand, the Declaration was a formal legal document On July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted the historic text drafted by Thomas Jefferson, they did not intend it to mean individual equality. Rather, what they declared was that American colonists, as a people, had the same rights to self-government as other nations. At the end of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wrote “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” What would you pledge your life, fortune, and honor to support today? Summary: The Declaration of Independence remains relevant today as it embodies the fundamental principles of liberty, equality, and the right to self-governance. Coming barely a century after England's chaotic and bloody Civil War, in an age when nearly all monarchs held virtually limitless power over their subjects, Jefferson's words were not merely radical. In a very real sense, the Declaration of Independence was and is the American Revolution. Washington, DC (National Archives): 1952-present *Except that the document was displayed on April 13, 1943, at the dedication of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC. Back to Main Declaration of Independence Page Learn about Our National Treasure, interesting and informative facts about the Declaration and its history. Declaration of Independence, document approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, that announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. On July 2 the Congress had resolved that ‘these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States.’ So in this week’s editorial space, we revisit what our Declaration of Independence says, and ponder what its idealistic words — “all men are created equal” — say about the country we live in now and want to live in moving forward. After the delegates voted for independence, a Committee of Five drafted the Declaration of Independence explaining their decision. As most know, Thomas Jefferson was the principal author. The delegates debated and revised its wording, finally approving the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like The authors of the Declaration of Independence, Which Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence?, The Declaration of Independence and more. Yet even as Jefferson championed liberty, the contradiction of slavery remained. Today, his legacy and its complexities still walk these streets. Jefferson remains at the forefront of America's story: author of the Declaration of Independence, Virginia's second governor, and later, the nation's third president. In June 1776, from a rented room in Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson penned the first draft of the document that would forge a nation. The stakes were high, amidst the ongoing war with the British, to find the right words to argue the absolute necessity to break from the Crown. Now, nearly 250 years after its adoption by the Second Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence remains a Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence articulated the fundamental principles that define American identity. It emphasizes individual rights and freedoms, asserting that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Declaration of Independence - Founding Document, US History, Revolutionary War: The Declaration of Independence was written largely by Jefferson, who had displayed talent as a political philosopher and polemicist in his A Summary View of the Rights of British America, published in 1774. At the request of his fellow committee members he wrote the first draft. The members of the committee made a Over the course of many months, the Founding Fathers would work on the Declaration of Independence until it was officially signed on July 4, 1776, by some of the most influential figures in US The Virginia Declaration of Rights strongly influenced Thomas Jefferson in writing the first part of the Declaration of Independence. It later provided the foundation for the Bill of Rights.
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