Who wrote the initial draft of the Declaration of Independence?

• A. Thomas Jefferson.
• B. George Washington.
• C. James Madison.
• D. Benjamin Franklin.

Answer: (A)

Thomas Jefferson wrote the initial draft because he was chosen for his strong writing ability and clear thinking about independence. He was part of a Committee of Five appointed by the Continental Congress to draft the document, and he produced the first version in June 1776 in Philadelphia. His draft framed the case for independence with a formal structure, a list of grievances against the British Crown, and a statement of natural rights that justified breaking from Britain. The Continental Congress then reviewed and revised Jefferson’s draft, but the core ideas and language he wrote remained central in the final version adopted on July 4, 1776. The other figures mentioned—George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin—were important leaders in the Revolution and in later constitutional work, but Jefferson was the principal author of the initial draft.