Gizamo's version of History 101....

Who Authored it?

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They say that Thomas Jefferson drafted it, but I believe John Hancock had a big hand in composing most of it.

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Dick

It was drafted by a committee -- Jefferson, Adams, Livingston, Sherman, and Franklin, with Jefferson writing the first draft and then incorporating the suggestions of the others. Hancock had a "big hand" all right, but as far as I know, that was limited to his signature, not to his role in the document's composition.


Bullseye

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By committee in theory. Jefferson, Adams and Franklin were tasked with the responsibility of developing the DOI by the Continental Congress. Franklin and Adams both noted that young Jefferson was quite the word-smith and left him to labor over the DOI in the sweltering heat of summer in Philadelphia. Once Jefferson had a solid draft, Franklin and Adams did some editing. Once that was done, it was presented to the Continental Congress who edited it even further into its final draft.

At which point a full 25% of it was edited out....especially the slavery issue.

So instead of being it's author, would it be fair to say the Jefferson was it's Scribe?

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That may be correct, but I wouldn't voice that opinion here in Vahginyah.


Bullseye

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Truly a very Wise Man....

Qouting Adams.....

"You inquire why so young a man as Mr. Jefferson was placed at the head of the committee for preparing a Declaration of Independence? I answer: It was the Frankfort advice, to place Virginia at the head of everything. Mr. Richard Henry Lee might be gone to Virginia, to his sick family, for aught I know, but that was not the reason of Mr. Jefferson's appointment. There were three committees appointed at the same time, one for the Declaration of Independence, another for preparing articles of confederation, and another for preparing a treaty to be proposed to France. Mr. Lee was chosen for the Committee of Confederation, and it was not thought convenient that the same person should be upon both. Mr. Jefferson came into Congress in June, 1775, and brought with a reputation for literature, and a happy talent for composition. Writings of his were handed about, remarkable for the peculiar felicity of expression. Though a silent member in Congress, he was so prompt, frank, explicit, and decisive upon committees and in conversation - not even Samuel Adams was more so - that he soon seized upon my heart; and upon this occasion I gave him my vote, and did all in my power to procure the votes of others. I think he had one more vote than any other, and that placed him at the head of the committee. I had the next highest number, and that placed me the second. The committee met, discussed the subject, and then appointed Mr. Jefferson and me to make the draft, I suppose because we were the two first on the list.

The subcommittee met. Jefferson proposed to me to make the draft. I said, 'I will not,' 'You should do it.' 'Oh! no.' 'Why will you not? You ought to do it.' 'I will not.' 'Why?' 'Reasons enough.' 'What can be your reasons?' 'Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can.' 'Well,' said Jefferson, 'if you are decided, I will do as well as I can.' 'Very well. When you have drawn it up, we will have a meeting.'
A meeting we accordingly had, and conned the paper over. I was delighted with its high tone and the flights of oratory with which it abounded, especially that concerning Negro slavery, which, though I knew his Southern brethren would never suffer to pass in Congress, I certainly never would oppose. There were other expressions which I would not have inserted if I had drawn it up, particularly that which called the King tyrant. I thought this too personal, for I never believed George to be a tyrant in disposition and in nature; I always believed him to be deceived by his courtiers on both sides of the Atlantic, and in his official capacity, only, cruel. I thought the expression too passionate, and too much like scolding, for so grave and solemn a document; but as Franklin and Sherman were to inspect it afterwards, I thought it would not become me to strike it out. I consented to report it, and do not now remember that I made or suggested a single alteration.

We reported it to the committee of five. It was read, and I do not remember that Franklin or Sherman criticized anything. We were all in haste. Congress was impatient, and the instrument was reported, as I believe, in Jefferson's handwriting, as he first drew it. Congress cut off about a quarter of it, as I expected they would; but they obliterated some of the best of it, and left all that was exceptionable, if anything in it was. I have long wondered that the original draft had not been published. I suppose the reason is the vehement philippic against Negro slavery. As you justly observe, there is not an idea in it but what had been hackneyed in Congress for two years before. The substance of it is contained in the declaration of rights and the violation of those rights in the Journals of Congress in 1774. Indeed, the essence of it is contained in a pamphlet, voted and printed by the town of Boston, before the first Congress met, composed by James Otis, as I suppose, in one of his lucid intervals, and pruned and polished by Samuel Adams."

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Hmmmm, pretty much what I thought. A few clear thinkers who have done the research and understand the difference between Cultural indoctronation, and the truth...

MSNBC. CNN. FoxNews.... what you were told back in school.....


That's American History, paplum fed.

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I have heard it said that Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, and that John Adams was its voice.

Buck

We may debate who the author was, but every one of the signers had to be very brave to risk all like they did.

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Jon

If you go to Monticello you can see Jefferson's headstone inscribed " . . . Author of the American Declaration of Independence . . ."

It was at his direction - he was obviously very proud of that accomplishment.

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6/23/2022

Ben Franklin said something like, "We must all hang together, or we will surely all hang seperatly."

I like Ben.

I bet they are all looking down thankful they are not here now!! And I have to admit if it were not for my son I wish I were with them.

So Congress is still the same as it was in the beginning.

I believe Jefferson was indeed the "scribe" of the DofI but Virginia can still take credit. Copying from others was acceptable back in those days and that's what Jefferson did. He copied from an early, unpublished draft and the final copy of the Declaration of Rights for Virginia written by George Mason.

His mucking around with Mason's "all men are born free and independent" to appease the slave owners is where the stuff started to hit the fan, culminating in the WofNA almost 100 years later.

Bob

It's interesting to re-visit everything we were taught in school. Jefferson is a different animal if you really look into his past, search primary documents related to him, etc....

John Hancock is another. Many who do the research hold him in very low regard. After the war, he definitely would profit by his actions...immensely. At the price of evicting veterans, off land that was granted to them in lieu of pay. He was after the English Land patents, all along.

With great risk comes great reward....for a few.

Of the signers, the pure majority were Patriots. Men of great deeds and high moral character. The others were as dull and greedy as many in Congress today. Self serving wretches, looking only to line their own pockets over the blood of those that served...

Some things never change.

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