Who was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, is best known as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. This foundational document not only proclaimed the separation of the thirteen North American colonies from Great Britain, but it also established ideals of liberty and equality that continue to inspire struggles for justice and democracy around the world. Jefferson was a Renaissance man, interested in nearly every area of knowledge, and his contributions to America extend far beyond the Declaration, including the founding of the University of Virginia.