Changes

[[Image:Declaration committee.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Declaration Committee]]

[[Image:Declaration committee.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Declaration Committee]]

The "Declaration Committee," consisted of five people: [[Thomas Jefferson]] of Virginia, [[Roger Sherman]] of Connecticut, [[Benjamin Franklin]] of Pennsylvania, [[Robert R. Livingston]] of New York, and [[John Adams]] of Massachusetts.  It was appointed by Congress on June 11, 1776, to draft a declaration in anticipation of an expected vote in favor of American independence, which occurred on July 2.<ref name="committee members">{{cite web

The "Declaration Committee," consisted of five people: [[Thomas Jefferson]] of Virginia, [[Roger Sherman]] of Connecticut, [[Benjamin Franklin]] of Pennsylvania, [[Robert R. Livingston]] of New York, and [[John Adams]] of Massachusetts.  It was appointed by Congress on June 11, 1776, to draft a declaration in anticipation of an expected vote in favor of American independence, which occurred on July 2.<ref name="committee members">{{cite web

| url=http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/declara4.html | title=Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents | accessdate=2007-08-04 }}</ref>  Shortly after the committee met, Adams and Jefferson were regarded as the two best to do the bulk of the drafting of the document.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=4rnOtIV-bY4C&pg=PA80 How to Analyze the Works of John Adams]</ref>  Adams, however, deferred to Jefferson, on the grounds of three very shrewd reasonings:

| url=http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/declara4.html | title=Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents | accessdate=2007-08-04 }}</ref>

 

<blockquote>"Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can"</blockquote>

At this point the British had been driven entirely from the United Colonies, and independence became increasingly a reality.

At this point the British had been driven entirely from the United Colonies, and independence became increasingly a reality.

===Jefferson's role===

===Jefferson's role===

As a delegate to the [[Continental Congress]] Jefferson and [[John Adams]] took the lead in pushing for independence.  On June 7, 1776, [[Richard Henry Lee]] of the Virginia delegation proposed independence. Congress appointed a committee of five men to draw up a suitable public Declaration. Jefferson was selected to write it because he was a Virginian, a recognized writer, and a zealous committeeman. (Jefferson's authorship was largely unknown before 1800.) He incorporated ideas and phrases from many sources to arrive at a consensus statement that all patriots could agree upon.  

As delegates to the [[Continental Congress]] Jefferson and [[John Adams]] took the lead in pushing for independence.  On June 7, 1776, [[Richard Henry Lee]] of the Virginia delegation authored the [[Lee Resolution]], proposing independence. Congress appointed a committee of five men to draw up a suitable public Declaration. Shortly after the committee met, Adams and Jefferson were regarded as the two best to do the bulk of the drafting of the document.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=4rnOtIV-bY4C&pg=PA80 How to Analyze the Works of John Adams]</ref>  Adams, however, deferred to Jefferson, on the grounds of three very shrewd reasonings:

 

<blockquote>"Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can"</blockquote> (Jefferson's authorship was largely unknown before 1800.) He incorporated ideas and phrases from many sources to arrive at a consensus statement that all patriots could agree upon.  

Early drafts exist dating to June 1776.<ref>See [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/frag.html  "Transcription of the Fragment of the Composition Draft of the Declaration of Independence"]</ref> Jefferson's colleagues [[Benjamin Franklin]] and Adams made small changes in his draft text and Congress made more. The  finished document, which both declared independence and proclaimed a philosophy of government, was singly and peculiarly Jefferson's.<ref>See [http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html "Declaration of Independence"]</ref>

Early drafts exist dating to June 1776.<ref>See [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/frag.html  "Transcription of the Fragment of the Composition Draft of the Declaration of Independence"]</ref> Jefferson's colleagues [[Benjamin Franklin]] and Adams made small changes in his draft text and Congress made more. The  finished document, which both declared independence and proclaimed a philosophy of government, was singly and peculiarly Jefferson's.<ref>See [http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html "Declaration of Independence"]</ref>