Declaration Signed Today in 1776

Yes, that's right. Not many people celebrate August 2 as the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it is. The Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776, by unanimous voice vote, and also voted to have it printed. But only John Hancock, president of the Congress, signed it that day in order to authenticate it for printing and publication. It was not until August 2 that most of the members could gather to examine and sign the Declaration, and some who could not be present signed it even later. Only by August 2 had the Declaration been engrossed (prepared as an official document in a large, clear hand) on parchment, with its title changed from "A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America in General Congress assembled" to "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America." The National Archives has more on the evolution of the nation's first document.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat