Character analysis
Roger Sherman
in The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson
Roger Sherman from Connecticut was one of five members of the Committee of Five selected by the Second Continental Congress in June 1776 to draft a formal declaration of independence from Britain. While Thomas Jefferson was the primary author, Sherman's involvement underscored his status as one of the most experienced and respected delegates in Philadelphia — he was the only Founder to sign all four major founding documents of the time (the Articles of Association, the Declaration, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution).
In the context of the Declaration, Sherman acted as a stabilizing, consensus-building figure. A self-made man from humble beginnings — a cobbler who became a lawyer and judge — he added practical political credibility to the committee. His contributions were less about rhetoric compared to Jefferson's or Adams's, but his support for the document's philosophical foundations (the natural rights of man, the right of revolution, and the indictment of King George III) was significant for skeptical delegates. His signature on the final parchment signified Connecticut's formal commitment to the revolutionary cause.
Sherman's defining traits include pragmatism, integrity, and loyalty to institutions. He valued the deliberative process over individual brilliance, making him a crucial link between the idealists who crafted the Declaration and the legislators who needed to ratify it. His role in this document reflects a quiet yet decisive validation: by attaching his name and reputation to Jefferson's words, he played a key part in turning a radical philosophical argument into a legitimate act of collective governance.
Connected characters
- Thomas Jefferson
Sherman served alongside Jefferson on the Committee of Five. While Jefferson drafted the Declaration's soaring language, Sherman's role was to review, refine, and ultimately endorse the text. His practical, plain-spoken sensibility complemented Jefferson's philosophical eloquence, and his approval helped legitimize the draft before the full Congress.
- John Adams
Adams and Sherman were fellow committee members and both strong advocates for independence. Adams famously championed Jefferson as the primary drafter; Sherman's agreement with that choice reflects a shared pragmatism — both men understood that the document needed a gifted writer, but also broad political buy-in that figures like Sherman could provide.
- Benjamin Franklin
Franklin and Sherman were the two elder statesmen of the Committee of Five, lending gravitas and institutional authority to the younger Jefferson's draft. Sherman's straightforward integrity paralleled Franklin's diplomatic wisdom, and together they anchored the committee's credibility with the wider Congress.
- Robert R. Livingston
Livingston was the fifth member of the drafting committee alongside Sherman. Both men represented the practical, legislative wing of the committee. Notably, Livingston ultimately did not sign the Declaration, making Sherman's own signature a point of contrast — Sherman's full commitment to the cause was unambiguous.
- King George III
By signing the Declaration, Sherman formally joined in the indictment of King George III as a tyrant whose repeated injuries and usurpations justified revolution. His signature is an act of direct political opposition to the Crown, carrying personal risk of treason charges.
- The British Parliament
The Declaration's grievances implicate Parliament as a co-conspirator in colonial oppression — passing legislation without colonial consent, quartering troops, and suspending local governance. Sherman's endorsement of these charges reflects his deep conviction that Parliamentary overreach had dissolved the colonists' obligation of loyalty.
- The American People (Colonists)
Sherman's signature on the Declaration was made explicitly on behalf of the people of Connecticut and the broader colonial public. The document's assertion that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed directly reflects the constituency Sherman represented, and his act of signing was a pledge of his life, fortune, and sacred honor to their cause.