Declaration of Independence, in U.S. history, document that was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and that announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. 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. When was Declaration of Independence signed? Explore dates, who wrote it, where and when it was signed, its role in American independence. 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 Welcome to ushistory.org's Declaration of Independence website, providing a wealth of information about the Declaration, biographies of all the signers, lesson plans for introducing students to the colonial and revolutionary eras of American history, and much more. Where is the original Declaration? At the time, the Declaration of Independence was regarded as a collective effort of the Continental Congress; Jefferson was not recognized as its principal author until the 1790s. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, drafted in June 1776. However, the document was reviewed and edited by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and other members of the drafting committee before being finalized by the Continental Congress. 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. USCIS 62 Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was an important political leader and thinker. He wanted to create a government for the United States that protected individual rights. Thomas Jefferson wrote that the United States was free from Britain. He wrote that all men are created equal. He wrote that everyone 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. The definition of the Declaration of Independence for APUSH is a foundational document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it announced the independence of the 13 Original Colonies from British rule. Who was the author of the Declaration of Independence? The Declaration of Independence serves as one of the most notable and significant documents in American history. It is a landmark document that was written in 1776, paving the way for the establishment of the United States of America as an independent country. The Declaration of Independence outlines the fundamental principles of the 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. Jefferson largely wrote the Declaration in isolation between June 11 and June 28, 1776. The Declaration was a formal explanation of why the Continental Congress voted to declare American independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? The Declaration of Independence was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, although he was advised and aided by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. 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 At 33, Thomas Jefferson wrote the original draft of America's historic Declaration of Independence, which was approved by the Continental Congress after several days of debate and revisions on 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 He described the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as "these fragile objects which bear so great a weight of meaning to our people." The story of the Declaration of Independence as a document can only be a part of the larger history, a history still unfolding, a "weight of meaning" constantly, challenged, strengthened, and redefined. Who Wrote the Declaration of Independence? 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.
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