U.S. Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is document signed by members of the second continental congress in 1776 who were meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This document formally "dissolved the connection" [1] between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain.
The "Declaration Committee," which included Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and John Adams of Massachusetts, was appointed by Congress on June 11, 1776, to draft a declaration in anticipation of an expected vote in favor of American independence, which occurred on July 2.[2]
Its primary authorship is credited to Thomas Jefferson. Early versions of the manuscript exist as early as June 1776.[3]
Signers
There are 56 signatures on the declaration of independence[4]
Button Gwinnett Lyman Hall George Walton
William Hooper Joseph Hewes John Penn
Edward Rutledge Thomas Heyward, Jr. Thomas Lynch, Jr. Arthur Middleton
John Hancock
Samuel Chase William Paca Thomas Stone Charles Carroll of Carrollton
George Wythe Richard Henry Lee Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Harrison Thomas Nelson, Jr. Francis Lightfoot Lee Carter Braxton
Robert Morris Benjamin Rush Benjamin Franklin John Morton George Clymer James Smith George Taylor James Wilson George Ross
Caesar Rodney George Read Thomas McKean
William Floyd Philip Livingston Francis Lewis Lewis Morris
Richard Stockton John Witherspoon Francis Hopkinson John Hart Abraham Clark
Josiah Bartlett William Whipple
Samuel Adams John Adams Robert Treat Paine Elbridge Gerry
Stephen Hopkins William Ellery
Roger Sherman Samuel Huntington William Williams Oliver Wolcott
Matthew Thornton
References
- ↑ George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799: Series 3g Varick Transcripts http://memory.loc.gov/mss/mgw/mgw3g/001/309.jpg
- ↑ Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents, http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/declara4.html
- ↑ Transcription of the Fragment of the Composition Draft of the Declaration of Independence, http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/frag.html
- ↑ The National Archive Experience http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html
