On June 7, 17176, Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, introduced a resolution "That these United Colonie are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

There was no great clamor in the Congress for passing this resolution. Though a majority of the delegates had already voiced their favorable opinions on the subject of independence, there was some opposition from the more conservative members. Unanimity was most important, so a vote was put off until July. In the meantime a committee was appointed to draft the declaration--Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert Livingston of New York.

The document that was submitted to the Congress for adoption was for the most part the work of Jefferson. he had submitted his "rough draft" to the committee for comments and there were minor alterations made, but when the final copy was presented it was Jefferson placing "before mankind the commond sense of the subject, in terms so firm and plain as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take."

Historian Dumas Malone says "this most famous American political document belongs indisputably to Jefferson." The 33 year old Virginian had succeeded with eloquence in expressing the American mind.

On July 2 the Congress adopted Lee's resolution and then on July 4 the formal Declaration of Independence was adopted. Contrary to popular belief the document was not signed by all members of the Congress on that day. Although independence was voted July 4, the completed signing was not accomplished until August 2 and not in an assembled body as depicted in John Trumbull's famous painting. It is of little consequence, however, since the American people, through their representatives in Congress, had pledged their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" to being free and independent; and had so given notice to Great Britain and the world.

John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail: "it [July 4th] ought to be celebrated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward, evermore." And so it has been.

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