The Committee of Five

In the hot, tense summer of 1776, as thunderclouds of rebellion gathered over the thirteen colonies, the Second Continental Congress found itself facing a decision that would change the world. The British Crown had slammed the door on reconciliation. The King wasn’t listening. His red-coated army was already spilling colonial blood. The time had come to stop pleading and start proclaiming.

But revolutions don’t just happen with musket balls and bayonets. They need words. Strong ones. Clear ones. Words that would stir hearts, rally allies, and shake tyrants. So on June 11, 1776, while the colonies delayed a final vote on independence to rally support, Congress formed a committee. Not a big one. Just five men. But these five were chosen to craft the most important document in American history. We know them today as the Committee of Five.

They were a diverse team. Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was a rising star with a gift for writing. John Adams of Massachusetts was tenacious and principled, already a strong voice for independence. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the most senior member, widely respected across the colonies and abroad. Roger Sherman of Connecticut was quiet but influential, and Robert R. Livingston of New York was a skilled legal mind and future diplomat. Their task was to draft a declaration that would explain to the world why the colonies were choosing independence from Britain.

Jefferson was chosen by the others to write the first draft. He later wrote that they “unanimously pressed” him to take the lead. He agreed, and over the course of the next 17 days, he worked alone to craft a compelling argument for American independence. He drew from Enlightenment thinkers, especially John Locke, but crafted something uniquely American. The famous phrase “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” was his own refined variation on Locke’s “life, liberty, and estate” or property.

Jefferson’s original draft included a passionate condemnation of slavery and Britain’s role in promoting the slave trade. But that section was later struck out by Congress to preserve unity with southern colonies like South Carolina and Georgia, who were unwilling to support the Declaration with that language included. Even some northern delegates, whose merchants had profited from the trade, were uncomfortable with the language. Jefferson would later express bitter disappointment over this removal.

Before submitting his draft to Congress, Jefferson shared it with Adams and Franklin. They made some stylistic and structural changes. Franklin was especially skilled at shaping language for clarity and impact. Sherman and Livingston’s roles in revising the draft are less documented, but all five stood behind the final text that was presented to Congress on June 28, 1776.

Congress began debating the draft on July 1, after voting to approve the Lee Resolution declaring the colonies independent. Over the next few days, Congress made further edits, cutting about a quarter of Jefferson’s original language. Two entire sections were removed, including the criticism of the British people and the aforementioned clause on slavery.

Despite the revisions, the core of Jefferson’s document remained. The final version was adopted on July 4, 1776. Contrary to popular myth, the Declaration was not signed by all delegates on that date. The first copies, known as the Dunlap broadsides, were printed overnight and distributed beginning on July 5. Only John Hancock and Charles Thomson’s names appeared on these initial printed versions.

Congress later ordered that the final version be “engrossed” on parchment, which means copied in a formal hand for official signing. This was completed by August 2, 1776. Most delegates signed on that date, though some would sign later. Robert Livingston, notably, never signed the Declaration. He believed it was premature and continued to advocate for reconciliation even after the vote.

After the Declaration was adopted, the Committee of Five’s job was complete. They had created a document that justified the cause of liberty not just to Americans, but to the world. Their work gave the revolution a soul. Jefferson and Adams would later serve as presidents. Franklin helped secure France’s crucial support. Sherman contributed to drafting the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Livingston went on to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. Each man continued to shape the republic he helped to found.

The legacy of the Committee of Five is often overshadowed by the fireworks and the fanfare of Independence Day. But their task was essential. The Declaration was more than a statement of rebellion. It was a blueprint for freedom. It gave voice to the American idea that all men are created equal and that government exists to serve the people, not rule them.

These five men, chosen not for their uniformity but for their diversity of thought and background, produced a document that has outlived empires. They put ink to paper in a small room in Philadelphia. And from that act, a nation was born.