Committee of Five
Creating the Declaration
On June 7, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a Committee of Five to create the Declaration of Independence. The Committee of Five included Founding Fathers John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Livingston, and Roger Sherman. John Adams was a lawyer, diplomat, and the second President of the United States. Thomas Jefferson was a diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and the third President of the United States. A diplomat is a person who helps people who have differing points of view find common ground. Benjamin Franklin was a writer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, publisher, and philosopher. Roger Livingston was a lawyer and politician, and Roger Sherman was a statesman and lawyer.
Please read the following passage carefully to review the events leading up to the American Revolution. The American Revolution was a struggle by the American colonies against British rule, leading to the formation of the United States of America as an independent nation.
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Before 1775, the 13 colonies lived under British rule. However, tensions were rising between the colonists and King George III because the colonists felt they were being treated unfairly. The king was imposing taxes on them without giving them a say in the government, and he was ignoring their rights and freedoms.
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By 1775, things had reached a boiling point. King George III wanted to assert his authority over the colonists because he felt they were rebellious. He sent 700 British troops to seize weapons from the colonists. However, the colonists were warned by Paul Revere and other riders so they were ready for the British troops.
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The first shots of the American Revolution were fired in the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. These battles marked the beginning of the colonists’ fight for independence.
Creating the Declaration
During the American Revolutionary War, representatives from the 13 colonies gathered for the Second Continental Congress. This was a meeting where representatives from all the colonies came together to talk about and make important decisions. The representatives decided it was time to officially declare independence from Britain.
A special group of Founding Fathers, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, were asked to write a document explaining why independence was necessary and proclaiming America as a free nation, separate from British rule.
