What Did the Declaration Declare?

What did the Declaration declare? An enduring mythology has grown up around the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Generations of Americans believe that Jefferson wrote it in his Philadelphia study, influenced only by the stirring of great events around him. Challenging this romantic ideal, the five historians included here find that the document was the result of many influences and that it may have even been a collaborative writing effort on the congressional floor. Investigating various angles of the argument, the authors pose a variety of opinions on the Declaration's authorship, influences, and ultimate impact.