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 Second Continental Congress to draft the original document as part of the Committee of Five, which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Jefferson largely wrote the first draft in isolation between June 11 and June 28, 1776, from his residence in Philadelphia. Although the draft underwent revisions by the committee and the Congress, Jefferson is credited as the principal author of the Declaration