The Library of Congress is presenting a reconstruction of Thomas Jefferson's original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence. This version represents the text as it existed before revisions were made by members of the Committee of Five and by Congress.
Details of the reconstruction
The reconstruction, based on Professor Julian Boyd's work from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, illustrates the initial wording of the document. The draft outlines the necessity for a people to move from subordination to an independent station justified by the laws of nature.
Core principles of the draft
In this version, the text asserts that all men are created equal and possess inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It states that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and that the people have the right to alter or abolish any government that becomes destructive to these ends.
List of grievances against King
The draft includes a list of grievances against the King, accusing him of various abuses such as refusing to pass necessary laws, dissolving representative houses, and keeping standing armies among the colonies during times of peace. It also details actions regarding the taxation of the colonies without consent and the deprivation of trial by jury.
Formal declaration of independence
The document concludes with a formal rejection of all allegiance to the kings of Great Britain. The representatives declare the colonies to be free and independent states, possessing the power to levy war, conclude peace, and establish commerce, while pledging their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to support the declaration.
