1. The Declaration of
Independence
Thomas Jefferson and the
Foundation of American
Liberty
2. Drafting the Declaration
• June 7, resolution put forward to declare
independence from Britain. Resolution tabled until
July 1. Comm. of 5 formed to put forward articles
of declaration until that time. Thomas
Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger
Sherman, Robert Livingston.
– All members of this committee overworked.
Congress spending great energies dealing with the
already brewing war.
3. Drafting the Declaration
• Jefferson not a happy man in Philadelphia
– Wanted to be in VA working on constitution.
– Wife ill at Monticello. Wanted to be with her.
– On no fewer than 34 committees.
– He could not afford to skip sessions of Cong. to write-
his presence was necessary for VA to have sufficient
numbers to vote.
– Jefferson‟s work load and distractions caused him to
draw upon all available resources to get his draft
together.
8. Drafting the Declaration
• Jefferson chosen to write the draft. Why?
– Known as a good writer- A Summary View
of the Rights of British America.
– Virginian- much of the conflict had been in
the North, so some wanted to put a
Southerner in the lead.
9. Drafting the Declaration
• Jefferson chosen to write the draft. Why?
– Perhaps no one else saw this as important
• Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill had already happened.
• In May Congress had already directed the states to write
constitutions- a clear statement of independence.
• Events clearly outstripping the ability of Congress to issue
“declarations”
• People had too much other work to do. Could not predict the
importance that subsequent generations would give to it.
Would it have had that importance if other(s) had written it?
10. Drafting the Declaration
Jefferson sits down and writes.
– Writes over a period of about 2 weeks
in June (11th to 28th) but had many
other tasks to perform, so had much
less than two weeks.
– Writes in privacy of rented home. On
his new lap desk.
13. Drafting the Declaration
• Consults “no books or pamphlets” in his words.
True, but…
– Heavily steeped in Locke. State of nature. Life, liberty
and property. Natural law.
– Used his draft of Const. for VA which had most of his
list of charges against the King.
– Obviously remembered his Summary View
• Had been very radical.
• Said parliament no right at all to govern the colonies
• Had challenged the King in the Summary View, now
he pushed it further.
14. Drafting the Declaration
George Mason‟s preamble to VA Const.
was published in Pennsylvania Gazette.
• “All men are created equally free and
independent and have certain inherent and
natural rights…, among which are the
enjoyment of life and liberty, with the
means of acquiring and possessing
property, and pursuing and obtaining
happiness and safety.”
15. Drafting the Declaration
• Jefferson‟s draft no effort to educate- use
logic and reason to persuade.
– Nothing new: „place the common sense
wisdom before the people‟
• Also relies greatly on rhetoric.
• Moral truths he did not feel compelled to
explain- self-evident truths. Axioms.
Influence of the Enlightenment here.
16. Drafting the Declaration
• Focuses on King, not Parliament
– Jefferson had already dealt with Parliament in Summary
View.
– Colonies had made appeals to King already and got
nowhere, so now break last tie (assuming that tie to
parliament already broken).
– Greater rhetorical value if attack king.
• Replaces property with pursuit of happiness- TJ
more interested in freedom of conscience and
person beyond mere property. Property a means to
happiness.
18. Declaration in Congress
• Declaration goes to Congress
– Makes some changes. Most in charges against King.
– Pained Jefferson greatly.
• Franklin and Hat story.
– Changes generally toned down Jefferson‟s charges.
• “unsullied by falsehood” replaced
• attacks on British people generally edited out.
• slavery passage removed.
– Document probably improved by the edits.
• July 2 independence adopted.
• July 4 Declaration approved
