John Adams, the Declaration of Independence, and the “Model Treaty”

On p. 154 of Chapter 8, your book mentions a “Model Treaty” drafted by a committee of the 2nd Continental Congress that set the basis for early American diplomacy. John Adams was involved in the drafting of this document.

Click on this link (http://www.masshist.org/DIGITALADAMS/aea/cfm/doc.cfm?id=A1_24) to read John Adams’ own words about what the purpose of this treaty was.

There is also some great information on how Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence.

Read it and be prepared to discuss or explain this reading.