Drafting the Declaration of Independence
What was cut, what was kept, and why
On the evening of July 4, 1776, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed by the members of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The famed introduction stated,
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
These moving words would spur a revolution in America. However, not many people know that the final draft of the Declaration did not include phrases and entire paragraphs that its author, Thomas Jefferson, intended for the document.
Men such as John Adams and Benjamin Franklin made significant changes, omitted words, and added their own opinions. The modifications to the nation’s Declaration of Independence ensured that democracy was not crafted by one man — but by the collective.
Thomas Jefferson: The Author
In early spring 1776, it was decided that Thomas Jefferson would draft a document declaring America’s…
