Who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence?

• A. George Washington
• B. Benjamin Franklin
• C. Thomas Jefferson
• D. John Adams

Answer: (C)

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted on July 4, 1776. He was chosen to draft the document by the Continental Congress because of his skills as a writer and his strong beliefs in the principles of liberty and self-governance. Jefferson articulated the colonies' grievances against King George III and laid out the philosophical basis for independence, emphasizing ideas of individual rights and the concept that governments derive power from the consent of the governed. His eloquent prose not only captured the revolutionary spirit of the time but also influenced future democratic thought both in America and around the world.