Would the spirit of the Declaration of Independence have been any different if it referred to Americans as “subjects” instead of “citizens?”

Thomas Jefferson apparently thought so, and recent analysis of a rough draft of the Declaration has confirmed speculation that he considered both before settling on “citizens.”

Recent hyperspectral imaging by scientists in the Library of Congress’ Preservation Research and Testing Division performed on Jefferson’s rough draft shows he originally wrote the phrase “our fellow subjects.” But he apparently changed his mind and heavily scrawled over the word “subjects” was the word “citizens.”

“The correction seems to illuminate an important moment for Jefferson and for a nation on the eve of breaking from monarchical rule – a moment when he reconsidered his choice of words and articulated the recognition that the people of the fledgling United States of America were no longer subjects of any nation, but citizens of an emerging democracy,” the Library of Congress said.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/02/analysis-confirms-subjects-citizens-change-in-declaration/