Founding father Thomas Jefferson apparently had another term in mind for American citizens when crafting the Declaration of Independence — subjects.
An early draft of the document, which is locked in one of the Library of Congress’ vaults, reveals Jefferson referred to the American population as “subjects” before replacing the label with “citizens” in the final version.
Real journalism.Trusted by millions.
Unlimited access to in-depth reporting, expert analysis, and the stories that shape our country.
Subscribe Now
Already a member? Log in
Print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account
Digital subscriber? Click here to login/register your account.