who helped thomas jefferson make changes to the declaration?
Thomas Jefferson was mainly helped by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, who reviewed his draft and suggested edits before it went to the full Continental Congress for further changes.
Quick Scoop
- Thomas Jefferson wrote the original draft of the Declaration of Independence.
- He then showed this draft to Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, whose corrections he respected the most.
- Franklin and Adams suggested mostly stylistic edits, such as sharpening phrases like “sacred & undeniable truths” into “self-evident.”
- After their changes, the document went to the larger Committee of Five (Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston) and then the entire Continental Congress, which made additional revisions.
- So, if you need one clear answer for “who helped Jefferson make changes,” the usual response is: Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.
TL;DR: Jefferson drafted it, and Franklin and Adams helped him make key changes before Congress edited the final version.
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