An Expression of the American Mind

The New Nation
Written By Tom Hand

On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced into the Second Continental Congress what has come to be known as the Lee Resolution, calling for a complete separation from Great Britain. This leap of faith into the unknown space of independence finally had been publicly demanded and a contentious debate ensued. Congress created a committee to draft a declaration of independence in the event they chose that course of action. The committee included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, and Thomas Jefferson, and chose Jefferson to be the main penman.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses how Thomas Jefferson crafted one of the most important documents in American history, the Declaration of Independence, and why it still matters today.

Images courtesy of: National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, New York Public Library, Yale University Art Gallery, Wikimedia.

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Tom Hand
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