It was on July 4th, 1776, that Congress gave its approval to the Declaration of Independence. Just days later, on July 8th, the historic document would be publicly proclaimed at noon from three separate locations all at the same time.
Coming a full year after the start of the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence marked its official release to the world. It represented the genuine embodiment of America's break from the Great British.
Among its powerful passages, the Declaration proclaims, "That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is and ought to be dissolved."
Below are some interesting tidbits about this foundational document:
Fun Facts:
- Five individuals collaborated on drafting the Declaration of Independence: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
- A total of 56 signatories put their names to the Declaration of Independence, all of whom were members of the second Continental Congress.
- Originally, the document bore the title The Unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America — something you can still see in both the original printing and the engrossed version.
- The term "The Founding Fathers" refers to the 56 delegates who affixed their signatures to the Declaration of Independence.
- Once the text received ratification on July 4th, congress gave the green light for the Declaration of Independence to be distributed in multiple formats, including the printed Dunlap broadside, which was designed for wide distribution.
- The Declaration's first public reading took place at noon on July 8, 1776.
- Three exclusive designated locations hosted the reading: Easton, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia; and Trenton, New Jersey.
- To this day, one of Thomas Jefferson's original rough drafts remains preserved at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.