Choice of Author of the Draft of the DOI

The committee of Congress appointed to bring a Declaration of Independence had five members.

• • • • • Benjamin Franklin

        • John Adams

        • Thomas Jefferson

        • Roger Sherman

        • Robert Livingston

• One of these five men would be selected to write the first draft of the Declaration. 

• John Adams was the best educated, best read, most experienced, and most obvious choice for the job.

• Benjamin Franklin was the most popular man in America. His name brought immediate legitimacy to all that he did

• Thomas Jefferson was the youngest, most inexperienced, but from Virginia.

DECISION: If you had a vote in who would write the first draft, who would it be, and why?

Click here after you make your decision to see how the decision was made.