Declaration of Independence

About

The Declaration of Independence laid out the grievances the Colonies had suffered under the British Crown, the lack of success in having them redressed, and the conclusion that there was no choice but to sever the ties with Britain.

Committee of Five Formed, June 7, 1776

In the wake of the publication of Common Sense and the arrival of Hessian soldiers, by the spring of 1776, public sentiment in most of the colonies was leaning towards independence. The Second Continental Congress was reluctant to address it formally because only about two thirds of the colonies (mainly the northern ones) were for it. On June 5th Richard Henry Lee presented the Resolution drafted by the Virginia legislature to declare the colonies free and independent states. A Committee was formed to draft a statement to present to the world the rationale behind it. Congress then recessed for three weeks and took up the debate on July 1st. Primarily drafted by Jefferson with some input from Franklin and Adams, Congress substantially revised it over the next two days.

Ratified, July 4, 1776

The document was formally approved on the morning of July 4th.

Signed, Aug 2, 1776

Only 12 of the colonies actually voted as New York's legislature did not meet until July 9th. Legislation was passed in Congress on July 19 requiring every member to sign the Declaration although it took a few weeks for Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton to do it. Fifty-six delegates finally did with their signatures arranged geographically by colony. Absent were John Dickenson who wanted to reconcile with Britain and Robert Livingston who thought it premature.

Factoids

July 5, 1776-As soon as the Declaration was approved, the Committee to it to the Printer John Dunlap was tasked with printing sufficient copies so that they could be dispatched by members of Congress to various assemblies, conventions, and committees of safety as well as to the commanders of Continental troops. Overnight he printed several hundred copies; only 26 of the Dunlap Broadsides survive today mostly in the collections of public institutions.

June 5, 1823

Excerpts

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Related People / Organizations

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Francis Lewis,Signed

Samuel Adams,Signed

Philip Livingston,Signed

Timeline

1635

1776

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS

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The Declaration of Independence

1936 - Thomas Jefferson prepares to hand a draft of the Declaration of Independence to John Hancock.

DRAWINGS

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1776 - John Holt printed the first broadside copies in the New-York Journal or The General Advertiser