Who drafted the initial version of the Declaration of Independence, central to America250?

Thomas Jefferson drafted the initial version of the Declaration of Independence, central to America250.

Congress appointed the Committee of Five to prepare a declaration. The committee included Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Jefferson wrote the principal draft, which the committee reviewed before submitting it to the Continental Congress.

Congress debated the document from late June into early July 1776. Members removed or changed some passages, including a lengthy section criticizing the transatlantic slave trade and slavery-related practices. The final text was adopted on July 4.

Jefferson’s role is sometimes overstated. He was the primary drafter, but the declaration was a committee and congressional achievement. Franklin and Adams made important edits, while the full Congress approved the final wording. Jefferson later became the third president of the United States.