American Colonies

While Washington and his troops were fighting the war, the Second Continental Congress convened to formally manage affairs on the home front. It wasn’t easy. The “federal” system of government had not been created.  James Madison had not yet written his famous paper “Federalist No. 10." Each colony had its own legislature; there was no centralized authority. People disagreed about all kinds of things.

Most of the representatives did agree on one thing, though. The colonies needed to formally declare their independence from George III.  But how would they do it?

Richard Henry Lee, a representative from Virginia, submitted a resolution on June 11, 1776 which was adopted. The Second Continental Congress would appoint a committee to prepare a Declaration of Independence. Five men were chosen. Thomas Jefferson, a gifted writer from Virginia, would prepare the first draft.

Drawing on his own educated background and his knowledge of John Locke’s theory of government, Jefferson penned his initial thoughts. (Follow this link to the only surviving fragment of his preliminary work.) Years later, using the Declaration of Independence as a model, Jefferson would help his friend Lafayette write the French "Declaration of The Rights of Man."

By the time Jefferson had completed a draft (follow this link to the original manuscript) he was willing to share with the committee, the final Declaration of Independence was taking shape. He had to overcome one major hurdle.

Jefferson initially included a scathing indictment of the slave trade. Had it remained in the final draft, a unanimous vote adopting the Declaration could not have happened. The slavery denunciation was cut. The issue would be debated (and fought over) later.