Delegates Revise the Declaration
Delegates Revise the Declaration examines the debate and editorial process that shaped the Declaration of Independence—showing how a foundational document was the product of political compromise as much as philosophical principle—a key topic in 8th grade U.S. history. Jefferson's original draft condemned slavery and the slave trade, calling it an assault on human nature. Southern delegates insisted this passage be removed. The final document retained the principle that all men are created equal while removing any direct challenge to slavery—a compromise that preserved Southern support for independence but embedded a profound contradiction into America's founding statement.
Key Concepts
The Second Continental Congress created a committee to write the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson, known for his powerful writing, was chosen to create the first draft.
Common Questions
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson was the primary author, writing the first draft in about two weeks in June 1776. A Committee of Five (Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston) was charged with writing it. The Continental Congress then debated and revised it for two days, making about 86 changes and cutting roughly 25% of Jefferson's original text.
What was removed from Jefferson's original draft of the Declaration?
Jefferson's most significant deletion was a passage condemning the slave trade, calling it a cruel war against human nature itself and blaming King George for forcing it on the colonies. Southern delegates from South Carolina and Georgia insisted it be removed. Without this change, Southern delegates might not have signed the Declaration.
Why is it significant that Jefferson condemned slavery in his draft?
Jefferson condemning the slave trade shows that even slaveholders in 1776 recognized the contradiction between declaring all men equal and practicing slavery. The passage's deletion shows that national unity was purchased at the cost of moral consistency—a trade-off that would haunt the republic until the Civil War resolved it by force.
How did Benjamin Franklin and John Adams change Jefferson's draft?
Franklin and Adams made numerous edits to Jefferson's draft before it went to Congress. Franklin changed Jefferson's phrase 'sacred and undeniable truths' to 'self-evident truths.' Adams strengthened some passages. Jefferson was reportedly unhappy with many changes but could not override the committee or Congress.
What does the Declaration of Independence actually declare?
The Declaration makes four arguments: (1) a statement of natural rights philosophy (all men are created equal with unalienable rights); (2) a theory of government (governments derive power from consent of the governed); (3) a right of revolution (when government violates rights, people can alter or abolish it); and (4) a list of 27 grievances against King George justifying independence.
When do 8th graders study the writing of the Declaration?
The Declaration's drafting, debate, and revision are covered in 8th grade history in the Colonial Era and Road to Revolution unit, both as a study of the document's content and as evidence of the compromises that characterized the founding generation's approach to slavery.