Historic Documents
The Declaration of Independence
Adopted July 4, 1776. The full text, the story of its drafting, the fifty-six men who signed it, and the room on Market Street where it was written.
1776
Historic Documents
The Declaration of Independence
Adopted July 4, 1776. The full text, the story of its drafting, the fifty-six men who signed it, and the room on Market Street where it was written.
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.
The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Explore the Declaration
Six ways into the document and its history, from the men who signed it to the classroom.
About the Declaration
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most. (Kept from the section's original FAQ.)
When was the Declaration of Independence signed?
Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, but most of the fifty-six delegates signed the engrossed copy on August 2, 1776. A few added their names later.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson drafted it, with revisions from Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and the Committee of Five, before Congress debated and amended the text.
How many people signed it?
Fifty-six delegates signed. John Hancock, as president of the Congress, signed first and most prominently.
Where is the original kept today?
The engrossed parchment is held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., alongside the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.