5 Secrets of the Declaration of Independence

In June 1776, Thomas Jefferson faced the writing assignment of his life. The 33-year-old from Virginia had been chosen to craft a document formally declaring that the 13 American Colonies were breaking away from Great Britain. The declaration had to clearly explain the reasons why—and be convincing enough to gain other colonists’ support. 

If all went well, Jefferson’s words would be the start of a brand-new nation. But if the independence effort didn’t succeed, he and other colonial leaders could be killed for plotting against Britain’s king.

No pressure, right?

At the time, the colonies had been battling Britain in the American Revolution (1775-1783) for more than a year. The war had started with the battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. Angry about harsh laws and taxes, the colonists were initially fighting for a bigger say in how they were governed by Britain. But as the war went on, more and more Americans wanted independence instead. 

The Second Continental Congress, a governing body with members from every colony, decided to act. Many of those men, including Jefferson, would become known as our nation’s founders. In June 1776, they formed a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson took the lead, writing the first version in just over two weeks. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others helped edit it. 

The final document declared that “all men are created equal” and spelled out rights the colonists thought people should possess—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration also pointed out how Britain’s King George III had interfered with those rights. And, finally, it argued that when a government violates people’s rights, those people have a right to revolt and set up a new government—just like the colonists were planning to do.

The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The groundbreaking document boosted soldiers’ spirits and helped secure money and supplies from France and other countries to win the Revolution. Most importantly, it formally set in motion the creation of the United States of America.

Today the Declaration remains one of the world’s most famous documents. Read on to discover five of its biggest secrets.

In June 1776, Thomas Jefferson faced the writing assignment of his life. He was a 33-year-old from Virginia. He had been chosen to craft a document formally declaring that the 13 American Colonies were breaking away from Great Britain. The declaration had to clearly explain the reasons why. And it had to be convincing enough to gain other colonists’ support.

If all went well, Jefferson’s words would be the start of a brand-new nation. But if the independence effort did not succeed? He and other colonial leaders could be killed for plotting against Britain’s king.

No pressure, right?

At the time, the colonies had been battling Britain in the American Revolution (1775-1783) for more than a year. The war had started on April 19, 1775. It began with the battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The colonists were angry about harsh laws and taxes. They were initially fighting for a bigger say in how they were governed by Britain. But as the war went on, more and more Americans wanted independence instead.

The Second Continental Congress was a governing body with members from every colony. The members decided to act. Many of those men would become known as our nation’s founders. That included Jefferson. In June 1776, they formed a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson took the lead. He wrote the first version in just over two weeks. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others helped edit it. 

The final document declared that “all men are created equal.” It spelled out rights the colonists thought people should possess. Those were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration also pointed out how Britain’s King George III had interfered with those rights. In addition, it stated what could happen if a government violates people’s rights. In that case, those people have a right to revolt and set up a new government. That is just like what the colonists were planning to do.

The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776. It was a groundbreaking document. It boosted soldiers’ spirits. And it helped secure money and supplies from France and other countries to win the Revolution. Most importantly, it formally set in motion the creation of the United States of America.

Today the Declaration remains one of the world’s most famous documents. Read on to discover five of its biggest secrets.

As the Revolution started to rev up, many local governments and militias began asserting their independence from Britain. Some colonial leaders encouraged them, hoping to build support for a national declaration.

As the Revolution started to rev up, many local governments and militias began asserting their independence from Britain. Some colonial leaders encouraged them. They hoped to build support for a national declaration.

The movement was also spurred by colonist Thomas Paine. He wrote a pamphlet, Common Sense, that was printed in January 1776. Common Sense challenged Britain’s rule and called for independence. 

A few months later, on May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first colony to formally break from Britain. The colony made money on global trade through its ports, and Britain’s taxes were hurting business. 

Virginia—the richest and most populous colony—followed suit, on June 12. Its proclamation, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, heavily influenced Jefferson as he started writing the Declaration of Independence.

The movement was also spurred by colonist Thomas Paine. He wrote a pamphlet, Common Sense. It was printed in January 1776. Common Sense challenged Britain’s rule. It called for independence. 

Then on May 4, 1776, Rhode Island formally broke from Britain. It was the first colony to do so. It made money on global trade through its ports. And Britain’s taxes were hurting business. 

Virginia was the richest and most populous colony. It followed suit, on June 12. Its proclamation was the Virginia Declaration of Rights. It heavily influenced Jefferson as he started writing the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration underscores the right to liberty, but the original draft went even further—by arguing against slavery. Jefferson wrote that the slave trade was “an assemblage of horrors” and accused King George of continuing the practice. 

That passage didn’t make the final version, however. The Second Continental Congress wanted to present a united front against Britain—including unanimous approval of the Declaration. And slavery was deeply divisive. Enslaved people made up about one-fifth of the colonies’ population. Many colonies relied on the practice for labor or trade. Plus, about one-third of the signers were slaveholders, including Jefferson.

Left unmentioned and unresolved, slavery would go on to become the defining issue of the Civil War (1861-1865).

The Declaration underscores the right to liberty. But the original draft went even further by arguing against slavery. Jefferson wrote that the slave trade was “an assemblage of horrors.” He accused King George of continuing the practice. 

But that passage did not make the final version. The Second Continental Congress wanted to present a united front against Britain. It wanted unanimous approval of the Declaration. And slavery was deeply divisive. Enslaved people made up about one-fifth of the colonies’ population. Many colonies relied on the practice for labor or trade. Plus, about one-third of the signers were slaveholders. That included Jefferson. 

Slavery was left unmentioned and unresolved. It would go on to become the defining issue of the Civil War (1861-1865).

You might want to schedule your next Independence Day bash a couple of days earlier. After all, the Second Continental Congress officially established the legal and political creation of an independent U.S. on July 2, 1776. On that date, the signers approved the Lee Resolution, also dubbed the “Resolution for Independence.” 

Introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, the resolution declared the colonies “free and independent States . . . absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown.” The Declaration, issued two days later, explained the reasons behind the resolution. 

You might want to schedule your next Independence Day bash a couple of days earlier. After all, the Second Continental Congress officially established the legal and political creation of an independent U.S. on July 2, 1776. On that date, the signers approved the Lee Resolution. It was also called the “Resolution for Independence.” 

The resolution was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. It declared the colonies “free and independent States . . . absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown.” The Declaration was issued two days later. It explained the reasons behind the resolution.

The date to celebrate was clear to founder John Adams, who predicted parades for generations to come. In a letter to his wife, he wrote: “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America.” 

But the boldly worded Declaration ended up stealing the Lee Resolution’s thunder. On July 4, 1777, U.S. leaders held a big party and fireworks in its honor—setting the tone for the future.

The date to celebrate was clear to founder John Adams. He predicted parades for generations to come. In a letter to his wife, he wrote: “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America.” 

But the boldly worded Declaration ended up stealing the Lee Resolution’s thunder. On July 4, 1777, U.S. leaders held a big party and fireworks in its honor. That set the tone for the future.

Not all colonists were eager for independence. In fact, historians estimate that between one-fifth and one-third of them identified as loyalists—colonists who remained loyal to Britain. 

New York loyalists wanted to show King George their allegiance. So four months after the Declaration was adopted, they circulated a response called the “Declaration of Dependence.” 

Issued on November 28, 1776, the document restated their faith and devotion to the king. It called the dissolution of British rule in America history’s “most unnatural, unprovoked Rebellion.” Some 500 loyalists signed it, including shop owners, formerly enslaved people, and several well-known New York families. 

The Declaration of Dependence came at a high cost to some of its signers. One prominent signer, Frederick Philipse III, was a wealthy landowner. As a result of his loyalty to the king, he ended up losing his money and property, and was forced to flee to Britain after the war.

Not all colonists wanted independence. In fact, historians estimate that between one-fifth and one-third of them identified as loyalists. Those were colonists who remained loyal to Britain. 

New York loyalists wanted to show King George their allegiance. So four months after the Declaration was adopted, they circulated a response. It was called the “Declaration of Dependence.” 

The document was issued on November 28, 1776. It restated their faith and devotion to the king. It called the dissolution of British rule in America history’s “most unnatural, unprovoked Rebellion.” Some 500 loyalists signed it. That included shop owners, formerly enslaved people, and several well-known New York families. 

The Declaration of Dependence came at a high cost to some of its signers. One prominent signer was Frederick Philipse III. He was a wealthy landowner. As a result of his loyalty to the king, he ended up losing his money and property. He was forced to flee to Britain after the war.

The Revolution officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Americans’ success inspired people in other countries to look to the Declaration for guidance. They identified with its reasons for overthrowing unjust governments. And they hoped to also secure the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Marquis de Lafayette, who fought alongside colonists in the Revolution, brought lessons from the war to the French Revolution of 1789. With Jefferson’s help, Lafayette even wrote an early draft of France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, modeled after the American document. 

The Revolution officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Americans’ success inspired people in other countries to look to the Declaration for guidance. They identified with its reasons for overthrowing unjust governments. And they hoped to also secure the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Marquis de Lafayette fought alongside colonists in the Revolution. He brought lessons from the war to the French Revolution of 1789. Lafayette even wrote an early draft of France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. He did so with Jefferson’s help. It was modeled after the American document.

By the early 19th century, a wave of independence movements swept Haiti and most of Latin America, also partly inspired by the Declaration. And decades later, abolitionists in the U.S. used the document’s words about equality to push for an end to slavery.  

American women also leaned on the Declaration to assert their rights. At the first women’s rights convention, in 1848, leaders produced their own version: the Declaration of Sentiments. It stated “all men and women are created equal” and launched the movement for women’s voting rights.

Jefferson himself had predicted the Declaration’s power and influence back in 1795. He wrote: “This ball of liberty . . . is now so well in motion that it will roll round the globe.” 

By the early 19th century, a wave of independence movements swept Haiti and most of Latin America. Those were also partly inspired by the Declaration. And decades later, abolitionists in the U.S. used the document’s words about equality to push for an end to slavery. 

American women also leaned on the Declaration to assert their rights. The first women’s rights convention was in 1848. Leaders there produced their own version called the Declaration of Sentiments. It stated “all men and women are created equal.” It launched the movement for women’s voting rights.

Jefferson himself had predicted the Declaration’s power and influence back in 1795. He wrote: “This ball of liberty . . . is now so well in motion that it will roll round the globe.”