During a meeting of the Second Continental Congress , on June 11 , 1776 , they named John Adams of Massachusetts , Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania , Thomas Jefferson of Virginia , Robert R. Livingston of New York , and Roger Sherman of Connecticut to form a committee to draft a document that would become the Declaration of Independence . On June 11 , 1776 , Congress appointed a `` Committee of Five '' , consisting of John Adams of Massachusetts , Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania , Thomas Jefferson of Virginia , Robert R. Livingston of New York , and Roger Sherman of Connecticut , to draft a declaration .