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The Continental Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Frankl
1776 Event

June 11

Committee of Five Appointed to Draft the Declaration of Independence

The Continental Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston to draft a formal declaration of independence from Britain. Jefferson, chosen as principal author for his literary skill, produced a document whose opening declaration that all men are created equal would become the foundational text of American democracy.

June 11, 1776

250 years ago

Key Figures & Places

What Else Happened on June 11

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