Who largely drafted the Declaration of Independence celebrated by America250?

Thomas Jefferson largely drafted the Declaration of Independence celebrated by America250. Congress assigned him to the Committee of Five that prepared the document in June 1776.

Jefferson wrote the main draft between June 11 and June 28, 1776. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston served with him on the committee, and they reviewed the draft before presenting it to Congress.

Jefferson was the principal writer, but the final Declaration was a congressional product. Delegates debated and edited the text before adopting it, so calling Jefferson its sole author overlooks the committee’s work and Congress’s role.