The Declaration of Independence --
Revised and Edited

Introduction

Thomas Jefferson Most people have heard that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Many, however, do not realize that after he wrote his first draft, the document was further shaped by a committee and then by the Continental Congress itself (go here for more details). Thus we see that even the best writers in America have had to acknowledge the need for revision and editing of their work.

History leaves little doubt of Jefferson's ability to shape prose to his purposes. The editing done in this case was probably different from the kind most students find necessary. His draft underwent other kinds of changes, more substantive in nature, which in some cases changed the shape and effect of the final document.

This project asks students to take an analytical look at both Jefferson's draft and the final document and discover the differences between them in light of the purpose of the Declaration, its intended audience, and the requirements put upon its creators by the politics of times in which it was written.
Back to Top


The Task

The task involves writing an analytical essay discussing the differences between the draft and the final document. Merely determining the differences will not suffice, however. Students should also speculate upon the aspects in bold text above in determining the probable reasons for the changes noted therein.
Back to Top


The Process

The best approach is to establish a system for comparing the documents section by section. The resources section below has links to each version of the Declaration of Independence. Get one version of the document in a browser window and put that to one side of the screen. Open the other version in a new browser window (right-click on the link) and arrange that window on the other side of the screen. It should then be a simple matter to scroll down each document keeping them parallel. The differences should jump out at you.

Then, either take notes on a piece of paper or open a Notepad window and take notes there. That might be easier since you might want to include direct quotations in your paper.

Do not forget to research the topic further with the links provided in the resources section.
Back to Top


Resources

Graphic of Jefferson's draft of The Declaration of Independence Below you will find links to copies of the rough draft of the Declaration and its final form. Following that are some additional resources you'll find helpful in completing the project.



From Constitution.org
-- Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence
-- Declaration of Independence (final form)

From another site
-- Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence
-- Declaration of Independence (final form)

Additional Resources
-- A History of the Declaration of Independence
-- The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence
-- A Timeline of Jefferson's life
--Another Timeline
-- American Sphinx: The Contradictions of Thomas Jefferson
-- LIFE AND LABOR AT MONTICELLO
-- Today in History for April 13, Jefferson's Birthdate

Back to Top


Evaluation

As always, make your project reflect a thorough approach to the topic, and you will not need to fear the result.
Back to Top


Conclusion

Just about all government documents and speeches are designed to influence the thinking and behavior of the governed. This work, therefore, is some of the most carefully crafted writing imaginable. Even watching a show such as West Wing can alert us to the degree to which various factors are considered in their creation. This project attempted to put you in touch with these subtleties and necessities.
Back to Top


Last updated June, 2008.
Based on a template from The WebQuestPage

Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS! Level Double-A conformance icon, W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0