Who is credited with writing the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson is credited with writing the Declaration of Independence because he was the principal author tasked with drafting the document during the Second Continental Congress in 1776. The Declaration was a significant statement that articulated the American colonies' reasons for seeking independence from British rule. Jefferson's eloquent expression of the ideals of liberty and government by consent strongly influenced the creation of democratic principles in the United States.

James Madison, while a key figure in American history as the "Father of the Constitution" and a co-author of the Federalist Papers, did not play a direct role in drafting the Declaration. George Washington is known for his leadership as the commander of the Continental Army and later as the first president, but he did not author the Declaration. Benjamin Franklin was an influential statesman and contributing member of the committee that oversaw the drafting of the document, but Jefferson's writing is recognized as the primary contribution to the Declaration itself.