Final answer:
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin were the three main figures in the Continental Congress who contributed to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three delegates to the Continental Congress who helped write the Declaration of Independence were Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. These three, along with Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston, made up the Committee of Five tasked with drafting the document.
Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration, with contributions and edits by Adams, Franklin, and the other members. The document articulated the American colonies' reasons for seeking independence from Great Britain and established the foundation for American governance based on the consent of the governed.