who was the main author of the declaration of independence

Thomas Jefferson was the main (primary) author of the Declaration of Independence.

Quick Scoop

• The primary writer of the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson, then a 33‑year‑old delegate from Virginia.

• He drafted the text for a small “Committee of Five,” which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, who suggested edits.

• After the committee’s revisions, the full Continental Congress debated and modified Jefferson’s draft before approving the final document on July 4, 1776.

In short: Jefferson wrote the core text, the committee refined it, and Congress approved the version that became the Declaration of Independence.

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