He was the author of the Declaration of American Independence, a founding father of the United States and the country's third president. Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia, on 13 The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. We now credit Thomas Jefferson with the Declaration’s authorship, but that was not the case on that momentous day, nor for a significant time afterwards. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, but he did not work alone. On June 7, 1776, Virginia Delegate Richard Henry Lee put forward a resolution that "all political connection between them [the Colonies] and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States, articulated and perpetuated the American ideals of liberty and freedom of speech, press and conscience. Jefferson had law and political background Jefferson was born in Goochland (now Albemarle) County, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson had a theory about self governance and the rights of people who established habitat in new lands. Before attending the Congress in Philadelphia he codified these thoughts in an article called A Summary View of the Rights of British America. This paper he sent on ahead of him. How the Declaration of Independence was written Dramatization of events surrounding the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson and approved by the Continental Congress and signed on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson, a spokesman for democracy, was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809). Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. He was the first Secretary of State of the United States, under President George Washington. Most Americans did not know Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence until the 1790s; before that, the document was seen as a collective effort by the entire The Declaration of Independence is one of the most significant documents in American history. It formally announced the thirteen American colonies’ separation from British rule and laid the foundation for the United States as an independent nation. But who wrote the Declaration of Independence? The primary author of this historic document was Thomas Jefferson, who drafted it in June 1776 The Declaration of Independence was written solely by Thomas Jefferson and passed without revision by Congress. The Declaration of Independence was unanimously supported by the Continental Congress, which reflected the unanimity of popular opinion on the issue. Drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 became the defining event in Thomas Jefferson's life. Drawing on documents, such as the Virginia Declaration of Rights, state and local calls for independence, and his own draft of a Virginia constitution, Jefferson wrote a stunning statement of the colonists' right to rebel against the British government and establish their own based on the Thomas Jeffersonwasn’t recognized as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence until the 1790s; the document was originally presented as a collective effort by the entire Thomas Jefferson is considered the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, although Jefferson's draft went through a process of revision by his fellow committee members and the Second Continental Congress. When asked, “Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?” the short answer is Thomas Jefferson. At just 33 years old, Jefferson was chosen by the Second Continental Congress to draft the document. Despite his youth, Jefferson had already earned a reputation as a skilled writer and a deep thinker. ENTRY Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) SUMMARY Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom (1786), founder of the University of Virginia (1819), governor of Virginia (1779–1781), and third president of the United States (1801–1809). On July 4, 1776, the United States officially declared its independence from the British Empire when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was authored by a “Committee of Five”—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman—with Jefferson as the main drafter. But Jefferson himself later admitted While Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence, the congressional committee of John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston played an important role. If you’ve ever wondered who wrote the Declaration of Independence, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that there wasn’t just one author. Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original. Read the transcript of the Declaration of Independence, as adopted in Congress on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the rough draft.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |