Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence was primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Jefferson was selected by the Continental Congress to draft the document, which articulated the American colonies' reasons for seeking independence from British rule. His writing eloquently expressed Enlightenment ideals, including the concepts of individual liberty, unalienable rights, and the notion that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Jefferson's role in composing the Declaration cemented his legacy as one of the key figures in American history and a leading advocate for democracy and liberty.

While Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and John Adams were all influential figures in early American history, their contributions to the founding documents and political thought of the time were different. Franklin was a significant diplomat and thinker, Madison is often called the "Father of the Constitution" for his role in drafting that document, and Adams was a prominent advocate for independence and served on the committee alongside Jefferson that oversaw the writing of the Declaration, but it was Jefferson who penned the majority of the text.