Full Description
The Declaration of Independence stands not only as the founding document of the United States of America but also as a powerful, influential endorsement of human rights and self-governance. Indeed, in the nearly 250 years since its appearance, the Declaration's stirring, uplifting words have inspired political thinkers and revolutions across the globe.The manuscript draft of the Declaration reproduced on the front cover of this book - one of several copies written by Thomas Jefferson in the days following July 4, 1776 - shows the text as its author intended. Passages altered by Congress during the ratification process are underlined, including a lengthy condemnation of the slave trade, which was excised to appease the Southern colonies. A copy of the Declaration's final version, including the autographs of the signatories, is depicted on the back.Today, The New York Public Library holds this important historic document in trust and features it prominently in the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures.
