The Second Continental Congress appointed a “Committee of Five” in consideration of Lee’s Resolution to draft a declaration for independence from the British Crown on June 11, 1776. The five were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. The Committee operated from June 11 to July 5, 1776 – the day the Declaration was published. On July 2nd the Congress began considering the Declaration.
Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution for a declaration to the Congress on June 7th.
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.
Lee’s Resolution
He was originally pushed by delegates to draft the Declaration but was already on the Confederation Committee (Articles of Confederation) and it was considered too big a task to be on both committees as well as having to go back home to his gravely ill wife. Thomas Jefferson was selected to take his place.
Initially, Jefferson had no interest in being the drafter of the document. He wanted Adams to do it instead. In a letter to Timothy Pickering, Adams gives his account:
Jefferson proposed to me to make the draft. I said, ‘I will not,’ ‘You should do it.’ ‘Oh! no.’ ‘Why will you not? You ought to do it.’ ‘I will not.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Reasons enough.’ ‘What can be your reasons?’ ‘Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can.’” ‘Well,’ said Jefferson, ‘if you are decided, I will do as well as I can.’ ‘Very well. When you have drawn it up, we will have a meeting.’
Constitutionfacts
Jefferson would write the draft over a period of seventeen days (Constitutionfacts). Adams and Franklin took on the role as editors and honed the Declaration that the Committee of Five would submit to the Congress. Once submitted, only a few revisions were made on July 3rd and into the late morning of the 4th at which point the Declaration of Independence was adopted (National Archives).
It should be noted that Robert Livingston did not support the Declaration but chose to abstain rather than vote against it and didn’t sign it after its adoption. Roger Sherman didn’t make much contribution in the Committee of Five either, but did vote for and signed the Declaration of Independence (Hughes).
Sources:
“Drafting the Declaration of Independence.” Constitutionfacts.com, 2023, www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/drafting-the-declaration/. Accessed 5 July 2023. “Lee’s Resolution (1776) - Encyclopedia Virginia.” Encyclopedia Virginia, 7 Dec. 2020, encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/lees-resolution-1776/. Accessed 7 July 2023. “The Declaration of Independence: A History.” National Archives, 4 Nov. 2015, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-history. Accessed 5 July 2023. Hughes, Amanda. “The Drafting Committee of Five, and 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence - Constituting America.” Constituting America -, 29 Mar. 2021, constitutingamerica.org/90day-dcin-the-drafting-committee-of-five-and-56-signers-of-the-declaration-of-independence-guest-essayist-winfield-h-rose/. Accessed 7 July 2023.