Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the United States Declaration of Independence, whose anniversary America250 commemorates.
Jefferson was one of five members of the Committee of Five appointed by the Second Continental Congress to draft the document. The other members were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Jefferson produced the main draft, which the committee revised before presenting it to Congress.
The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776, after Congress had declared the colonies independent from Great Britain. Its opening argument about equality and natural rights became one of the most recognizable statements in American political history.
Jefferson did not write the document entirely alone, and Congress altered portions of his draft. That is why “wrote most” is more precise than saying he wrote every word. The Declaration’s 250th anniversary is the central historical basis of America250.