36 Appointment of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams to Draft the Declaration of Independence
June 11, 1776
The Second Continental Congress
Background
The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in June 1776 and appointed a “Committee of Five”– John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut–to draft a declaration of independence. The Committee of Five first presented the document to Congress on June 28, 1776. The Declaration committee convened from June 11,1776, until July 5, 1776, the day on which the Declaration was published.
The members chosen M[r.] Jefferson, M[r.] J. Adams, M[r.] Franklin, M[r.] Shearman [Rodger Serhman] & M[r.] R.R. Livingston
Resolved Via a committee be appointed to prepare & digest the form of a confederation to be entered into between these colonies.
Resolved that a committee be appointed to prepare a plan of treaties to be proposed to foreign powers. —-
M[r.] Chase & M[r.] Carrol two of the commissioners being arrived from Canada attended & give an acct. of their proceedings and the state of the army in that country.
The several matters to this day referred being postponed adjouned to 10 oclock to morrow. —[1]
