Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11
and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence
is at once the nation's most cherished symbol
of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument.
Here, in exalted and unforgettable phrases, Jefferson
expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts
of the American people.The political philosophy
of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of
individual liberty had already been expressed
by John Locke and the Continental philosophers.
What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy
in "self-evident truths" and set forth
a list of grievances against the King in order
to justify before the world the breaking of ties
between the colonies and the mother country. We
invite you to
read
a transcription of the complete text of the
Declaration.
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11
and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence
is at once the nation's most cherished symbol
of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument.
Here, in exalted and unforgettable phrases, Jefferson
expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts
of the American people.The political philosophy
of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of
individual liberty had already been expressed
by John Locke and the Continental philosophers.
What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy
in "self-evident truths" and set forth
a list of grievances against the King in order
to justify before the world the breaking of ties
between the colonies and the mother country. We
invite you to read
a transcription of the complete text of the
Declaration.