NYPL Declaration of Independence Document Folder

The Declaration of Independence stands not only as the founding document of the United States of America but also as a powerful, influential endorsement of human rights and self-governance. The inspiration and ethos of the Declaration is rooted in a variety of sources, including Enlightenment philosophy, the English constitution and Magna Carta, and early republicanism. And in the nearly 250 years since its appearance, the Declaration’s stirring, uplifting words have likewise inspired other political thinkers and revolutions across the globe. The manuscript draft of the Declaration reproduced here is one of several copies written by Thomas Jefferson in the days following July 4, 1776 and shows the text as its author intended. Passages altered by Congress during the ratification process are underlined, including a lengthy condemnation of the slave trade, which was excised to appease the Southern colonies. Though the passages were removed, Jefferson did not give up on their ideals. That