PPT "The Road to Revolution"

1. The Road to Revolution What, When, Why

13. The Declaration of Independence

14. The Continental Congress chose Thomas Jefferson to write the first draft of the Declaration of Independence.

15. For the final draft, Thomas Jefferson , was assisted by John Adams , Benjamin Franklin , Robert R. Livingston , and Roger Sherman .

16. Thomas Jefferson Jefferson was eloquent as a correspondent, but he was no public speaker. In the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, he contributed his pen rather than his voice to the patriot cause. As the "silent member" of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence.

17. You might have thought that George Washington was in Philadelphia with Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and the other delegates of te Continental Congress as they wrote the Declaration of Independence, but he wasn't. In July 1776, Washington was in New York with his troops. On July 9, he received his copy of the Declaration with a note from John Hancock telling Washington to share the news with the troops. Can you imagine how the troops reacted?

18. John Dunlap is thought to have printed between 200 to 500 Broadsides that July 4th evening which were distributed to the members of Congress on July 5th. Contrary to popular belief, this printed document with only Hancock and Thomson's names was the actual document delivered to King George III in England later that year. The names of the other delegates who voted for Independence were not published until 1777.

21. In fact, the Declaration of Independence was made to be read aloud …