In 1776, he was part of the five-member committee that helped draft the Declaration of Independence<span>, in which the 13 </span>American<span>colonies declared their freedom from British rule. That same year, Congress sent </span>Franklin<span> to France to enlist that nation's help with the </span>Revolutionary War<span>.</span>
Candidate Party Electoral Votes
Abraham Lincoln Republican 180
John C. Breckinridge Democratic 72
John Bell Constitutional Union 39
Stephen A. Douglas Democratic 12
a complex system of writing
Early China developed a complex system of writing. Ancient Chinese writing evolved from the practice of divination during the Shang Dynasty. They used hemp fiber and silk to make paper when bones and tortoise shells proved unsuitable
People in Great Britain, especially those in Parliament, viewed the colonists with a certain amount of disdain, since the colonists did not have representation in Parliament and were considered "foreign".
