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aCTIvITy 3.6
continued
The Formality of It all: Style and Tone
About the Author
John Adams was a member of the committee appointed to draft the Declara- tion of Independence. Along with Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, the Declaration of Independence stands as one of the greatest of America’s official documents. Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old when he wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In 1822, John Adams wrote a letter to Timothy Pickering, a politician from Massachusetts at the time, responding to Pickering’s questions about the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
Historical docu
convenient: serving a need without difficulty
reputation: general opinion regarding a person or thing felicity: pleasing and well chosen
obnoxious: annoying, unpleasant
Word CoNNeCTIoNS
Content Connections
The Declaration of
Independence was adopted
by the Second Continental
Congress in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania on July 4,
1776, more than a year into
the American Revolutionary War.Itdeclaredthatthement thirteen American colonies
were no longer a part of the
British Empire and explained
the reasoning for this. The
document’s most famous words
are its second sentence: “We
hold these truths to be self-
evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the
the pursuit of Happiness.”
194 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 6
by John Adams
Excerpt from
“Letter on ” Thomas Jefferson
1 You inquire why so young a man as Mr. Jefferson was placed at the head of
the committee for preparing a Declaration of Independence? I answer: It was the Frankfort advice, to place Virginia at the head of everything. Mr. Richard Henry Lee might be gone to Virginia, to his sick family, for aught I know, but that was not the reason of Mr. Jefferson’s appointment. There were three committees appointed at the same time, one for the Declaration of Independence, another for preparing articles of confederation, and another for preparing a treaty to be proposed to France. Mr. Lee was chosen for the Committee of Confederation, and it was not thought convenient that the same person should be upon both. Mr. Jefferson came into Congress in June, 1775, and brought with him a reputation for literature, science, and a happy talent of composition. Writings of his were handed about, remarkable for the peculiar felicity of expression. Though a silent member in Congress, he was so prompt, frank, explicit, and decisive upon committees and in conversation—not even Samuel Adams was more so—that he soon seized upon my heart; and upon this occasion I gave him my vote, and did all in my power
to procure the votes of others. I think he had one more vote than any other, and that placed him at the head of the committee. I had the next highest number, and that placed me the second. The committee met, discussed the subject, and then appointed Mr. Jefferson and me to make the draft, I suppose because we were the two first on the list.
2 The subcommittee met. Jefferson proposed to me to make the draft. I said, “I will not,” “You should do it.” “Oh! no.” “Why will you not? You ought to do it.” “I will not.” “Why?” “Reasons enough.” “What can be your reasons?” “Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can.” “Well,” said Jefferson, “if you are decided, I will do as well as I can.” “Very well. When you have drawn it up, we will have a meeting.”
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