who was the primary author of the declaration of independence?

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson. He was appointed by the Committee of Five, which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman, to write the first draft of the document. Jefferson largely wrote the draft in isolation between June 11 and June 28, 1776, before it was revised by the committee and the Second Continental Congress. Although the final version was edited and some parts were removed, Jefferson's original draft formed the basis of the Declaration. His authorship was later widely recognized, and he is credited as the principal author of this foundational document of the United States