Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence was primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson. In the summer of 1776, he was chosen by the Second Continental Congress to draft the document, which proclaimed the thirteen American colonies' separation from British rule. Jefferson's articulate and philosophical writing captured the ideals of liberty and the notion of government deriving its just powers from the consent of the governed, principles that would become foundational to American democracy. While others, such as John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, played significant roles in the discussions and revisions surrounding the Declaration, it was Jefferson who composed the initial draft that laid out the colonies' reasons for independence.