"The Declaration of Independence"
John Trumbull, 1818
These five men were known as the Committee of Five. They were the most important founders.
Thomas Jefferson stands out from the rest of the men with his brightly colored red hair. He is presenting the Declaration to John Hancock, the man sitting down.
These fancy curtains, carpet, furnitures, and flags were not realistically there.
In 1818, John Trumbull collaborated with Thomas Jefferson to create a painting that depicted the events that lead up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson described what that day was like, and how to paint it. He was an important leader in finding Americas Independence.
The purpose of this painting was to showcase to all of America what the meetings looked like while the committee was creating the Declaration.
Contemporary Image
The meaning of what it means to be an American has drastically changed between 1776 and 2018.
​
In the painting above, America was still under the control of Great Britain. We had no freedom to grow or evolve into a better nation. Because the Declaration of Independence was created, our country has been able to change for the better. Our country now consists of equal opportunities for all diversities.