An Independence Day Twitter Challenge
Reduce the Declaration of Independence to a single tweet.

Rob Donnelly
In 2010, back before Twitter had quote tweets and threads and daily diplomatic significance, Slate issued a challenge to our readers: Condense the Declaration of Independence into a single tweet.
We’re reviving that contest. The first version drew hundreds of entries, topped by a succinct bit of wit from our winner: “Bye George, we’ve got it.” Twitter is bigger and more competitive these days, and we expect an even better contest this time.
The concept remains the same. Thomas Jefferson took 17 days and 8,000 characters to write what the U.S. National Archives calls the America’s “most cherished symbol of liberty.” You’ll have three days and 140 characters to channel the declaration’s essence into one perfect tweet. And while Twitter has changed since 2010, the ideal tweet hasn’t. It still requires just the right mix of wit and eloquence.
This time around, we’re teaming with the National Archives, preservers of the storied document. The contest launches Monday and runs through Thursday at noon EDT. To enter, tweet your submission at us and use the hashtag #TinyDeclaration. (There’s no limit on the number of entries, so tweet away.)
We’ll name our finalists on Friday in a post on Slate. Then our esteemed panel will go to work selecting the winning tweet, which will be announced during the National Archives’ celebration on July 4.
Click here to read the full terms and conditions.