The five men who drafted the American Declaration of Independence in seventeen days

Countries & Cities · Published 10 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Tasked with outlining the reasons for colonial secession, a small committee of five delegates spent seventeen days drafting the document that would define a nation. Despite their historic impact, the group left no meeting minutes, leaving later generations to rely on hazy, often conflicting recollections of their collaborative process.

Appointed on June 11, 1776, the Committee of Five included John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. The group was tasked with drafting a statement justifying the colonies' separation from the British Empire, following the Lee Resolution moved in Congress on June 7. Jefferson, representing Virginia, was selected to write the initial draft, which he completed within seventeen days while managing other congressional duties.

The drafting process involved significant collaboration. After Jefferson produced his first version, the committee reviewed it and suggested numerous alterations. One notable change was the refinement of Jefferson's phrasing regarding natural rights, shifting from a list that included the preservation of life and liberty to the more rhythmic "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." This revision echoed, yet remained distinct from, John Locke’s earlier focus on private property.

On June 28, 1776, the committee presented their work to the Committee of the Whole. While the text was largely accepted, the full Congress rejected two specific passages: a critique of the English people and a condemnation of the slave trade. Jefferson later noted that these removals were made to avoid offending England and to appease Southern delegates who wished to maintain the institution of slavery. The final document was adopted on July 4, 1776.

The committee's work concluded on July 5, 1776, with the release of the Dunlap broadside. Because the committee left no official records, the exact details of their final authentication remain a mystery. Within thirty years, even the participants struggled to recall the specific events of those days, fueling the enduring myth that all delegates signed the document in a single, grand ceremony on July 4.

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