Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like The authors of the Declaration of Independence, Which Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence?, The Declaration of Independence and more. First, the Declaration of Independence stated why the British Colonies were forming the United States of America. Second, the Declaration of Independence was a response to a previous letter sent by King George. Third, the Declaration of Independence established the central cultural ethos and government of the United States. One of the main reasons that Thomas Jefferson is famous today is because he wrote the foundational text of the United States; The Declaration of Independence. In order to break away from the British Empire the British colonists would have to justify their decision to rebel. Although the section of the Lee Resolution dealing with independence was not adopted until July 2, Congress appointed on June 10 a committee of five to draft a statement of independence for the colonies. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman, with the actual writing delegated to Jefferson. Jefferson drafted the statement Although there was no legal reason to sign the Declaration, Jefferson and the other Founders signed it because they wanted to “mutually pledge” to each other that they were bound to support it with “our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” 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). 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. They appointed a Committee of Five to write an announcement explaining the reasons for independence. Thomas Jefferson, who chaired the committee and had established himself as a bold and talented political writer, wrote the first draft. 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. America's declaration of independence from the British Empire was the nation's founding moment. But it was not inevitable. The Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America in the original printing, is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the Second Continental Congress, who convened at Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in the colonial capital of Philadelphia. These delegates Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it announced the independence of the 13 Original Colonies from British rule. The document laid out the principles of individual rights and self-government, arguing that all people are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The Declaration of Independence explains why the American people felt compelled to rebel against the British. Thomas Jefferson, with some edits from his fellow members of the Second Continental Congress, explains how governments must protect the rights we have from birth. The British government violated that duty. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson listed a series of grievances that colonists had against British rule. What purpose did this serve? -The list identified changes that would be made under the new government. -The list explained the reasons for declaring independence. -The list outlined how the British broke the The author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), was deeply influenced by the European Enlightenment. He spent many years in Paris and was just as much at home among European intellectuals as he was on his plantation in Virginia. Although a slaveholder, Jefferson wrote eloquently about freedom for the colonists. 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 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 SUMMARY 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 Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to enthusiastic crowds and members of the army. No longer colonists, Americans had laid the foundation for their republic in the universal principles of natural rights and consensual self-government. 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. Three areas of reform suggest the arc of his political vision: first, he sought and secured abolition of primogeniture, entail, and all those remnants of feudalism that discouraged a broad distribution of property; second, he proposed a comprehensive plan of educational reform designed to assure access at the lowest level for all citizens and st
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