A list of complaints by the colonists that were outlined in the Declaration of Independence. The list was approved by the Continental Congress. Despite his many later accomplishments, Jefferson’s principal legacy to the United States arguably remains the Declaration of Independence, the eloquent expression of liberty, equality and Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration and called slavery an “abominable crime,” yet he was a lifelong slaveholder. Fearful of dividing the fragile new nation, Jefferson and other founders who opposed slavery did not insist on abolishing it. Jefferson was most angered by the removal of one particular clause, a clause blaming the King for forcing the slave trade upon the American colonies. The final draft of the Declaration of Independence contains a preamble, a list of grievances, a formal declaration of independence, and signatures. The Declaration of Independence states three basic ideas: (1) God made all men equal and gave them the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; (2) the main business of government is to protect these rights; (3) if a government tries to withhold these rights, the people are free to revolt and to set up a new government. Thomas Jefferson was the principal drafter of the Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress met in June of 1776 and the delegates chose Jefferson, their reasoning was he was an awkward speaker but a talented writer and his reputation as a writer has preceded him to Philadelphia. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence between June 11 and June 28, 1776. The draft is most famous for Jefferson’s criticism of King George III for Great Britain’s involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Even as late as June 1775, Thomas Jefferson said that he would "rather be in dependence on Great Britain, properly limited, than on any nation upon earth, or than on no nation." But this favorable relationship began to face serious challenges in the wake of the Seven Years' War. Thomas Jefferson’s role in the creation of the Declaration of Independence stands as one of the most significant contributions to American history. As the principal author, his vision and philosophical underpinnings shaped the very foundation of the United States. Thomas Jefferson’s Contribution. Thomas Jefferson played a pivotal role in crafting the Declaration of Independence and his contributions were essential to the document’s creation. As the primary author, Jefferson’s eloquent writing style and clarity of thought were instrumental in capturing the spirit of the American Revolution. The Declaration of Independence is the foundational document of the United States of America. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it explains why the Thirteen Colonies decided to separate from Great Britain during the American Revolution (1765-1789). The Declaration of Independence: A History. Nations come into being in many ways. Military rebellion, civil strife, acts of heroism, acts of treachery, a thousand greater and lesser clashes between defenders of the old order and supporters of the new--all these occurrences and more have marked the emergences of new nations, large and small. On the evenings of June 12 and 13, Jefferson sat in his boardinghouse and composed a draft of the Declaration of Independence. He submitted it to Adams and the committee, which made several edits, and the document was sent to Congress. His chief role was as a draftsman of resolutions. In that capacity, on June 11, 1776, he was appointed to a five-person committee, which also included Adams and Benjamin Franklin, to draft a formal statement of the reasons why a break with Great Britain was justified. Adams asked him to prepare the first draft, which he did within a few 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." 2. Short-response prompt (15 points) Text: Declaration of Independence Describe Thomas Jefferson's purpose for writing The Declaration of Independence. Then, analyze how his use of parallelism helps develop this purpose. Be sure to use specific details from the text to support your ideas. 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 Written in June 1776, Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence, included eighty-six changes made later by John Adams (1735–1826), Benjamin Franklin 1706–1790), other members of the committee appointed to draft the document, and by Congress. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Which of the following phrases from the Declaration of Independence has led to a longstanding debate concerning the intent behind it?, In the Treaty of Greenville of 1795, which ended the Northwest Indian War, the_____ultimately ceded most of their lands to the victor., Which of the following established America's right to freely Thomas Jefferson, a prominent statesman and philosopher, was entrusted with drafting the Declaration of Independence. His eloquent writing style and profound understanding of Enlightenment ideals allowed him to articulate the colonies’ aspirations for liberty and governance.
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