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The Declaration of Independence

At the start of the Revolution, most colonists did not want their colonies to be independent.  They thought of themselves as part of Britain.  What they wanted were reforms, or changes, in British rule.  By 1776 this feeling had changed.

The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1776.  Among those at the meeting were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin.  The Congress voted to declare the colonies free of Britain.  Thomas Jefferson was asked to draw up a statement, or declaration.  Jefferson, with some help from Benjamin Franklin, wrote the Declaration of Independence.

View Jefferson's Original Letter to Wightman

Jefferson's letter to Wightman is considered one of the sublime exaltations of individual and national liberty -- Jefferson's vision of the Declaration of Independence and the American nation as signals to the world of the blessings of self-government.   This was the last letter written by Jefferson, who died ten days later, on July 4, 1826.  Coincidentally, John Adams, another great defender of liberty, died on the same day.

View the earliest known draft of the Declaration of Independence

Fragment of the earliest known draft of the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson in June 1776 This is the first public exhibit of the only surviving fragment of the earliest known draft of the Declaration of Independence. This fragment demonstrates that Jefferson heavily edited his first draft of the Declaration before he prepared a clean, or "fair" copy that became the basis of the "original Rough draft."   Jefferson clearly wrote this composition draft of the Declaration on the top half of sheets of paper thus allowing space for notes.  None of the deleted words and passages in this fragment appears in the "original Rough draft," but all of the undeleted 148 words including those carreted and interlined were copied into the "original Rough draft" in a clear form.

View Thomas Jefferson's Original Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence

Jefferson's "original Rough draft" of the Declaration of Independence, written in June 1776, including all the changes made later by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and other members of the committee, and by Congress

The "original Rough draft" of the Declaration of Independence, one of the great milestones in American history, shows the evolution of the text from the initial composition draft by Jefferson to the final text adopted by Congress on the morning of July 4, 1776.  Jefferson himself indicated some of the alterations made by Adams and Franklin.

Late in life Jefferson endorsed this document: "Independence. Declaration of original Rough draft."

The Declaration stated that people are created equal.  It said that people have certain rights that cannot be taken away.  These rights include life, liberty, and a chance for happiness.  Governments, it said, are supposed to protect those rights.  A government that fails to protect the rights of the people ought to be changed or overthrown.

Dr. Guido A. Prambs, State Director.
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