- Even though Thomas Jefferson gets all of the credit for the Declaration he wasn't the only author. He was just the primary one. The Continental Congress appointed five men to do the job. The other were: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman, and they were the ones that appointed Jefferson the primary author. Adams and Franklin did make a few additions however.
- Did you know that six Founding Fathers signed both the Declaration and the U.S Constitution. They were: Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer, Robert Morris, George Reed, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson.
- Did you know that nine signers died before the Peace Treaty of 1783 was signed to officially end the Revolution. They were: Button Gwinnet, John Hart, Joseph Hewes, Philip Livingston, Thomas Lynch Jr., John Morton, George Ross, Richard Stockton, and George Taylor.
- Did you know that Thomas Jefferson and John Adamswere the two final surviving signers. They both died on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration in 1826. Adams last words were "Jefferson still survives." Thomas Jefferson however had died five hours earlier.
Happy Independence Day!
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