Where Ideas in the
Declaration of Independence
Came From
Mr. Sandford
AP American History
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• When the “Committee of
Five” began to draft the
Declaration, they chose
Thomas Jefferson as its
primary author.
• Jefferson, Adams, Sherman,
Ben Franklin, and RR.
Livingston.
• Jefferson looked to the past
for help in creating this
historic document.
www.newgenevacenter.org/
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John Adams
• Before the COF met, John Adams
wrote:
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“Let us study the law of nature;
search into the spirit of the British
constitution; read the histories of
the ancient ages; [think about] the
great examples of Greece and
Rome; set before us the conduct of
our own British Ancestors.”
The Creation of the Committee
• The day after R. Henry Lee proposed
Independence the 2nd CC began to debate
the issue.
• Penn delegation was against Independence
- many others wanted to wait. Their early
speeches seemed to persuade many of the
delegates.
• John Adams got up and spoke for about an
hour persuading toward Independence.
The Creation of the Committee
• Richard Stockton, a delegate from
New Jersey, wrote that Adams’
speech:
“…the man to whom the country is
most indebted for a great measure
of independency…He it was who
sustained the debate, and by the
force of reasoning demonstrated
not only the justice, but the
expediency of the measure.
The Committee
• The COF were very educated men.
• They all had done extensive reading of
history and early political thought.
• They also were very well aware of what
their British Ancestors had and thought
they deserved.
• Jefferson locked himself in his upstairs
room in Philadelphia to work and
compose.
The Ideas - Ancient Greece
• Athenians believed that they
collectively had more wisdom then
any King.
• They created the first direct
democracy, a form of government
where laws are made by the people.
• This was already happening around
New England - Town meetings were
held to discuss issues important to
the community.
www.providence.edu/
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The Ideas - Rome
• The Romans used a system of
government known as a Republic.
• Under this system, the people
elect people to make the laws.
• Instead of a King making the laws,
people made them for themselves.
• In Rome, as in Athens, citizenship
was limited.
The Ideas - Magna Carta
• This English document, which was signed by
King John in 1215, listed the rights of citizens
that the King could not take away.
• Some were the right to a fair trial and the
right to travel.
• The rights were initially for the Nobles of
England.
• It limited the power of the King/Government,
strengthened the power of Parliament.
The Ideas - English Bill of Rights
• In 1689, Parliament passed the Bill of
Rights, which further limited the power
of the monarchy.
• The King could not limit free speech,
collect taxes without Parliaments
approval, everyone needed to obey
laws, had the right to trial by jury, and
could petition the government for
anything.
• Colonists saw this as GB citizens rights
being protected from the King.
The Ideas - John Locke
• The most influential ideas came from the
writings of John Locke.
• He was one of the handful of European
writers during the 1600’s (Enlightenment)
who said; people had the power to reason,
the ability to think clearly and that people
can recognize their natural rights.
• He had the largest impact upon Jefferson.
The Ideas - John Locke
academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/.../
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• He argued that representative
government is the only
reasonable type of government.
• The GOV. existed for the people,
not the people for the GOV., and if
the GOV. forgets this, it can be
overthrown and ignored.
• GOV. had to protect people’s
natural rights.
Changes to the Draft
• Unlike popular historical lore,
there were changes made to
the Declaration by the CC.
• There was one significant
changes.
– Delete language that denounced
King George III for promoting the
slave trade.
– This change was made for the
South Carolina delegation.
The Signing
• The final vote was taken
on July 4, 1776. New York
abstained.
• INDEPENDENCE
• The actual signing of the
document took place on
August 2. The last
delegate to sign did so in
January 1777.