The Birth of The Declaration of Independence Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In June 1776 a member of the Continental Congress proposed the following resolution to his fellow members: "That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be free and Independent States." Who was this audacious member?

Answer: Richard Henry Lee

Richard Henry Lee was a Virginian. He played a critical role in almost every significant event leading up to the Revolution. He was the 6th president of Congress (1784-1785), under the Articles of Confederation, and later served as a Senator from Virginia (1789-1792).

2. In June 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft a declaration of independence. The committee consisted of five members from five different states. Which of the following states WAS represented on the committee?

Answer: Connecticut

The Committee of Five, as it came to be called, was tasked by the Continental Congress to draft a document presenting the colonies' case for independence. The Congress appointed two delegates from New England (John Adams of Massachusetts and Roger Sherman of Connecticut), two delegates from the middle colonies (Robert Livingston of New York and Benjamin Franklin from Pennsylvania), and one from the south, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

Sherman is best remembered as the author of "The Great Compromise", originally known as the Connecticut Compromise. It addressed the subject of representation in Congress by big and small states and led to the formation of a bicameral legislature. Sherman was an active advocate for small states.

3. John Adams was initially chosen to write the draft Declaration of Independence, but argued that Thomas Jefferson was the better choice. What was the MAIN reason Adams chose Jefferson?

Answer: he was a southerner

Jefferson was the only member of the Committee of Five who was from a southern state. Adams felt it important for a southerner to draft the document, as it was likely to appease the southern state contingent.

4. Jefferson required peace and solitude when given the task of preparing the draft. He found rooms on the outskirts of the city in a private home. In whose home did Jefferson write the draft?

Answer: Jacob Graff

Jacob Graff was a well-known bricklayer in Philadelphia. He built his house on the outskirts of the city in 1775. Jefferson sought peace and quite so the location away from the city suited him. He rented the entire second floor, furnished. His lone complaint to Mr. Graff was the abundance of flies from a nearby stable.

The original building was torn down in 1883 and various structures were built on the site. The National Park Service reconstructed the house for the bi-centennial in 1976.

5. One of the most contentious subjects was the matter of slaves and whether they should, or should not be counted when determining the number of representatives a state should have in the House of Representatives. The Southern States wanted them counted, the Northern States did not. A compromise was in order; who suggested a compromise that was adopted?

Answer: James Wilson of Pennsylvania

James Wilson was a signer of the Declaration of Independance and a prominent lawyer, It was he who is believed to be the first to utter the words "no taxation without representation". The "Three-Fifths Compromise" was proposed to placate both sides. It can be found in Article i Section II of the Constitution (three out of every five slaves were counted).

It was changed by Section II of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.

6. Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence included a paragraph edited out in its entirety by the Continental Congress. With what subject did that paragraph deal?

Answer: slave trade policy

Jefferson's initial draft laid heavy blame for the slave trade at England's feet:
"He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating it's most sacred rights of life & liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere... he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them, & murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another."

Such language it was thought would offend the sensibilities of the delegates from the deep south, so it was stricken.

7. What was the "Dunlap Broadside"?

Answer: first printing of the Declaration

A "broadside" is a large poster sized paper printed only on one side. The Congress ordered the printing of the Declaration on July 4th and late that day, John Dunlap, a Philadelphia printer, printed the first copies of the document. Washington got his copy on July 6th and ordered it be read to the assembled army. Only twenty-four of the "Dunlap Broadsides" are known to exist.

8. In addition to naming King George III personally, Jefferson also laid blame on his fellow British citizens.

Answer: True

Jefferson wrote: "Nor have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren" and "They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity". Of course King George didn't listen to his English subjects any more than he did his American ones.

9. Who was the only member of the Continental Congress who chose not to sign the Declaration of Independence?

Answer: John Dickinson of Pennsylvania

Fifty-five members signed the final draft of the Declaration on July 4th, 1776. The official parchment copy wasn't ready to be signed until August 2nd. Dickinson withheld his signature because he still hoped for reconciliation, in spite of the fact that the war had already started.

10. On July 19th Congress ordered that the Declaration "be fairly engrossed on parchment". Who was chosen to do the "engrossing"?

Answer: Timothy Matlack

Timothy Matlack was a brewer in Philadelphia and a master penman. He was appointed assistant to Charles Tompson, Secretary to the Continental Congress. In October 1774 Matlack penned a petition to the King listing the grievances of "His Majesty's faithful subjects in North America". He also penned the "Olive Branch Petition" in July 1775.

He was given the honor of reading the Declaration from the steps of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Matlack became an active political leader in Philadelphia during the Revolution. He was both anti-British and anti-slavery.

Source: Author ncterp

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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The Declaration's birth was not without labor, but most delegates to the Convention were ready to cut the umbilical cord with mother England. Congress chose a committee to draft a document that would tell the world our reasons for wanting independence.

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