<Table> <Tr> <Th colspan="2"> United States Declaration of Independence </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="2"> 1823 facsimile of the engrossed copy </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Created </Th> <Td> June -- July 1776 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ratified </Th> <Td> July 4 , 1776 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> Engrossed copy : National Archives Rough draft : Library of Congress </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Author ( s ) </Th> <Td> Thomas Jefferson et al. ( engrosser : probably Timothy Matlack ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Signatories </Th> <Td> 56 delegates to the Continental Congress </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Purpose </Th> <Td> To announce and explain separation from Great Britain </Td> </Tr> </Table>
who is mostly responsible for writing the declaration of independence
Thomas Jefferson