About the During the American Revolution, many members of the Second Continental Congress argued for the independence of the 13 colonies from Great Britain. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee called for the writing of an official statement of independence. On June 11, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman were instructed to draft just such a resolution. The actual writing of the document was entrusted to Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Jefferson then revised the first draft. It was sent to Congress on July 2, 1776. After 2 days of debate and revision, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was adopted. This represented the first step in the formal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence, along with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, is on public display at the Rotunda of the National Archives.
Last updated: February 1, 2007 |
