Thomas Jefferson wrote the principal draft of the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence, central to America's 250th anniversary.
Jefferson was selected for the Committee of Five because of his strong reputation as a writer and his status as a delegate from Virginia. He prepared the draft in June 1776, drawing on political ideas about natural rights and government by consent. The committee and Congress revised his wording before adopting the final document.
Jefferson was not the sole author in the broad sense: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston served with him on the drafting committee. Congress also made substantial edits. The Declaration therefore reflects a collaborative political process, even though Jefferson is recognized as its principal drafter.