In The Course of Human Events
Feelings for independence were quite strong when the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia on May 10, 1776. Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution that "these colonies are, and of a right out to be, free and independent states".
The Congress appointed a committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence. The committee unanimously asked Thomas Jefferson, at the age of 34, to prepare a draft. His assignment was not easy. He was to justify the American Revolution to the world. In a room rented from a bricklayer who lived at the outskirts of town, and "without reference to book or pamphlet", Jefferson wrote the draft of the declaration that was accepted with very minor changes by the committee. Congress voted for Lee's resolution on July 2, and voted for the Declaration of Independence two days later. On July 4, 1776, the United States of America was born.
More than any other man, Thomas Jefferson formed and molded the American mind and spirit. He said, "I have sworn on the altar of God eternal hostility against any form of tyranny over the mind of man". Through 60 years of service, he faithful to this vow. His fundamental purpose was to destroy any form of artificial privilege through an aristocracy, as had been the experience of Great Britain and most of Europe. He wanted social mobility and leadership of government derived through a natural aristocracy based on talent and virtue in a free society.
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, was born in Virginia on April 13, 1743. He grew up on the frontier, hunting, fishing and riding horseback. He started studying at the age of five, and four years later began studying Latin, Greek and French. At 14, he entered one of the best schools in the colony, the classical school of the Reverend James Maury. At 17, he entered William and Mary College where he learned mathematics and science.
After leaving college, he studied law and was admitted to the bar at the age of 24. In 1769, he was chosen as a member of the House of Burgesses and served there until the Revolution. He allied himself with the liberals led by Patrick Henry and took the lead in organizing colonies to hear their grievances in the dispute with Great Britain. In 1775, he wrote, "Summary View of the Rights of British America". an argument that the British Parliament had absolutely no control over the American colonies, the colonies owed allegiance only to the King, and tyrannical acts by the King would cause forfeiture of that allegiance.
The Declaration of Independence is Thomas Jefferson's guarantee of immortality. With moving eloquence, it sets forth the basic philosophy of democracy - that men are created equal, that they are endowed with unalienable rights, that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that the purpose of government is to secure these rights, that men have the right to abolish governments and to establish new governments. For more than 220 years, Thomas Jefferson's words have served as an inspiration not only for American democracy, but for free people everywhere.