Biographer Walter Isaacson Discusses Declaration of Independence Ahead of US 250th Anniversary

2025-11-16

The BareStory

On November 16, 2025, biographer and historian Walter Isaacson commented on the Declaration of Independence in light of the United States' upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026. He suggested the anniversary presents an opportunity for national unity and stated that the founding document remains as vital today as it was in 1776.

Isaacson has authored a book, "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written," scheduled for release on November 18. According to the author, the book details the collaborative drafting of the sentence beginning, "We hold these truths to be self-evident..." by a committee that included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams.

In his account, Isaacson claims Franklin altered Jefferson’s original word "sacred" to "self-evident," intending to ground the new nation's principles in reason rather than religion. Isaacson also asserts that while Jefferson wrote that people "derive rights," it was Adams who revised the phrasing to "they are endowed by their Creator" with rights. The biographer contends that these changes demonstrate the Founders' capacity to balance competing ideals of divine providence and reason.

Isaacson proposes that reflecting on these shared principles could help unify the country. He reportedly referenced an anecdote in which Benjamin Franklin warned fellow signers that they must "all hang together, or most assuredly we'll all hang separately," which Isaacson described as a life-or-death challenge for the nation to remain united.

Left Perspective

The Declaration was intentionally grounded in reason, not religion.
The document was a product of collaborative intellectual effort.
The founding principles remain a vital guide for the nation.

Right Perspective

The founders balanced the roles of reason and divine providence.
The document’s strength comes from compromise and collaboration.
National unity depends on embracing these foundational compromises.

Left Perspective

• The Declaration was intentionally grounded in reason, not religion. According to biographer Walter Isaacson's account, Benjamin Franklin revised Thomas Jefferson’s original draft, changing the word “sacred” to “self-evident.” Isaacson claims this edit was made specifically to ground the new nation’s principles in reason, moving away from a purely religious foundation.

• The document was a product of collaborative intellectual effort. Isaacson's work highlights the drafting process of the sentence "We hold these truths to be self-evident..." as a joint effort by a committee including Jefferson, Franklin, and John Adams. This process of revision and debate underscores the intellectual and rational construction of the nation’s founding statement rather than it being the vision of a single individual.

• The founding principles remain a vital guide for the nation. The historian suggested that the Declaration of Independence is as vital today as it was in 1776 and that its 250th anniversary is an opportunity for reflection. This view posits that the rational ideals established by the founders continue to serve as a relevant and unifying framework for the country.

Right Perspective

• The founders balanced the roles of reason and divine providence. Historian Walter Isaacson contends that the final text of the Declaration of Independence reflects a careful synthesis of competing ideals. While Franklin's change to "self-evident" emphasized reason, Isaacson attributes the phrase "they are endowed by their Creator" to John Adams, arguing the combination shows the founders' capacity to merge concepts of logic and faith.

• The document’s strength comes from compromise and collaboration. Isaacson's description of the drafting process shows that the final wording was a product of compromise between key figures like Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams. By blending different viewpoints, the committee created a shared statement of principles, demonstrating that finding common ground was essential to the nation's founding.

• National unity depends on embracing these foundational compromises. Isaacson proposes that reflecting on the shared principles within the Declaration could help unify the country today. He referenced an anecdote where Benjamin Franklin warned the signers they must "all hang together, or most assuredly we'll all hang separately," framing this as a critical lesson in the need for unity based on the balanced ideals they created.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• The release of a historical book and related commentary is not expected to have a significant, practical impact on the public's daily life, finances, or services.

Biographer Walter Isaacson Discusses Declaration of Independence Ahead of US 250th Anniversary

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