The Declaration of Independence

June 28, 1776

John Adams: Jefferson's draft is done. Everyone read it before tomorrow's session.

Benjamin Franklin: I've read it. It's very good.

Benjamin Franklin: But Tom, I have some notes.

Thomas Jefferson: Of course you do.

Benjamin Franklin: You wrote 'We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable.' I'd suggest 'self-evident.' Stronger word. Less religious, more rational.

Thomas Jefferson: ...🤔

Thomas Jefferson: Ok that IS better.

John Adams: This is why we put Franklin on the committee.

Benjamin Franklin: I thought it was because nobody trusts Adams to write anything under 40 pages

John Adams: I am PERFECTLY capable of brevity.

Benjamin Franklin: John your last letter to me was eleven pages and you were just asking about the weather

Thomas Jefferson: 😂😂 😂

July 2, 1776

John Adams: The vote for independence passed. It's official.🎉

Benjamin Franklin: Now we just have to agree on the exact wording of the document. Should be quick.

Thomas Jefferson: How bad can it be

July 2 — Evening

Thomas Jefferson: They cut my section on slavery.

Benjamin Franklin: I saw.

Thomas Jefferson: It was the best paragraph in the whole document.

John Adams: South Carolina and Georgia wouldn't sign with it in.

Thomas Jefferson: So we just don't mention it? The thing we all know is a moral abomination we just leave it out?

Benjamin Franklin: Tom.

Benjamin Franklin: I agree with you. But we don't get a country without all thirteen colonies. And we don't get all thirteen with that paragraph.

Thomas Jefferson: History will judge this.

Benjamin Franklin: History will judge a lot of things about us.

July 3, 1776

Thomas Jefferson: They made 86 changes.

Thomas Jefferson: EIGHTY SIX.

Thomas Jefferson: To MY document.

Benjamin Franklin: This is why I don't write things that go to committee.

Thomas Jefferson: You told me it would be an HONOR to draft this.

Benjamin Franklin: I also told you to never play cards against a man from Virginia but here we are😂

John Adams: If it helps, it's still excellent Tom.

Thomas Jefferson: It WAS excellent. Now it's excellent with 86 committee fingerprints on it.

Benjamin Franklin: Let me tell you a story. A hatter once put up a sign that said 'John Thompson, Hatter, makes and sells hats for ready money' with a picture of a hat.

Benjamin Franklin: His friends each suggested removing a word. Too wordy. Redundant. Obvious. By the end, all that was left was his name and the picture of the hat.

Thomas Jefferson: Is that supposed to make me feel better?

Benjamin Franklin: No. I just think it's funny.😂

July 4, 1776

John Adams: Final text approved. We're signing it.

John Hancock: Allow me to go first.

Benjamin Franklin: By all means, John.

John Hancock: Done. I made it large enough that King George can read it without his spectacles.😂 🔥

Benjamin Franklin: Gentlemen, we must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.💀

John Adams: Was that really necessary right now?

Benjamin Franklin: I've been saving it all week, John.

Thomas Jefferson: Despite everything, I'm proud of this.

Benjamin Franklin: You should be. We all should be.

Benjamin Franklin: Now let's hope it works.