Signing Declaration of Independence: The signing
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
Signing Declaration of Independence: For upon |signing of the declaration of independence: A chronology of the drafting, adoption, and initial publication of the nation’s founding document.
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After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants signing of the declaration of independence.”
The famous text of the Declaration of Independence states “In Congress, July 4, 1776.” It is boldly signed by John Hancock and the other founders of the United States. Curiously, this wasn’t the official date it was signed. The important declaration of the United States was actually drafted several times by brave leaders. Its history deserves a closer look at the signing of the declaration of independence.
Beginning Drafts
In May of 1775, Congress gathered. Weeks earlier, hostilities broke out between the British troops and colonial soldiers in Massachusetts. Colonists were angered by Britain’s rule in America. By August, the king declared the colonists to be rebels. Congress swiftly formed an army under the command of George Washington. Support was growing steadily within the colonies for independence from Great Britain signing the declaration of independence.
On June 7, 1776, a lawmaker from Virginia named Richard Henry Lee proposed a resolution in Congress. It was written to convince Congress to demand independence from Britain. Other towns and colonial groups were writing similar pleas. They insisted that the colonies should be free from ties to the Crown signing of the declaration of independence.
This caused Congress to create a five-member committee to write a more detailed public statement. The committee would clearly explain the reasons for declaring independence. John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were on the committee. Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman were also chosen. Thomas Jefferson was selected to be the chief drafter. After including suggestions by Adams and Franklin, the committee gave its draft declaration to Congress on June 28 signing the declaration of independence.
Congress debated the declaration on July 1. At first, nine colonies were prepared to vote for independence. Two states were opposed, two were torn, and New York declined to vote. Then the situation changed overnight. On July 2, Delaware broke the tie in the vote for independence. Two states shifted in favor. When the vote was called on July 2, the declaration passed by a vote of 12 to zero. After this historic decision, John Adams wrote to his wife predicting that future Americans would mark their independence with a festival every second of July signing the declaration of independence.
Further Edits and First Printing
Mounting concern about battle caused Congress to toil more over the declaration. They continued to edit but made sure to use Jefferson’s stirring words. On July 4, Congress approved the final draft signing of the declaration of independence.
That evening, the complete version was set to print. It was called “a Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America.” It is believed that about 200 copies were published on July 5. Only about 25 still exist today. The paper was signed by John Hancock. It was read aloud in front of the statehouse in Philadelphia on July 8. Over the next few weeks, it was reprinted in newspapers up and down the Atlantic coast signing the declaration of independence.
On July 9, New York finally agreed to the vote. A few days later, news reached Philadelphia that the colonies were fully united in the decision. On July 19, Congress ordered an official copy of the declaration for the delegates to sign the signing of the declaration of independence.
Signing The Declaration
On August 2, 1776, Congress members signed the declaration. Not every man who had been present on July 4 signed the declaration on August 2. Two important officials passed up the chance to sign and others were added later. The first and largest signature was that of the president of Congress, John Hancock signing the declaration of independence.
The mood in the room was far from celebratory. Everyone was aware of what they were undertaking. It was an act of high treason against the British Crown that could cost each man his life. Recalling the day many years later, Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a leader in Philadelphia, wrote about how awful and silent the house was as each member was “called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress.” There they signed “what was believed … at that time to be our own death warrants.”
After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants signing of the declaration of independence.”
Painting by Robert Edge Pine
The most well-known printed version of the United States Declaration of Independence is emblazoned with the words “In Congress, July 4, 1776” at the top, and displays the signatures of John Hancock and other founding fathers at the bottom. Yet it is not true, as often believed, that the document was actually signed on that celebrated date. These historic events, central to the founding of the United States of America, deserve to be understood in detail by signing the declaration of independence.
In May of 1775, the Second Continental Congress was seated in the Assembly Hall of the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. Weeks earlier, hostilities had broken out between the British and colonial militias at Lexington, Massachusetts, and Concord, Massachusetts. King George III had not replied to the petition sent the prior October by the First Continental Congress, stating the colonists’ grievances. In August of 1775, the King declared the colonies to be in open rebellion. The Second Congress swiftly formed a Continental Army under the command of George Washington. By the middle of 1776, public sentiment in numerous colonies appeared to have turned decisively in favor of independence from Great Britain’s signing of the declaration of independence.
Richard Henry Lee, a Virginia delegate acting on behalf of the Virginia Convention, proposed to Congress a resolution on independence on June 7, 1776. The first of three provisions in this resolution read as follows: “Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, 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, totally dissolved.” Other towns and colonial assemblies were issuing similar pleas signing the declaration of independence.
Such a profound action demanded careful deliberation. On June 11, Congress put off a vote on Lee’s resolution. It appointed a five-member committee to draft a public statement that would explain the reasons for declaring independence should Congress so decide. John Adams of Massachusetts and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania were on the committee, along with Robert R. Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. The fifth member, Virginian Thomas Jefferson, was chosen to be the document’s principal drafter. After incorporating changes suggested by Adams and Franklin, the committee submitted its draft declaration to Congress on June 28. This is the scene depicted in John Trumbull’s famous painting that now hangs in the Capitol Building rotunda in Washington, D.C. signing the declaration of independence.
Congress debated Lee’s resolution on Monday, July 1. Nine colonies were prepared to vote in favor. The South Carolina and Pennsylvania delegations were opposed; the two Delaware delegates were deadlocked, and the New York delegates were unable to vote since their instructions permitted them only to pursue reconciliation with the king. Overnight, however, the situation changed. On July 2, Caesar Rodney rode into Philadelphia from Dover, Delaware, bringing a tie-breaking vote for Delaware in favor of independence. South Carolina shifted its position in favor, and the Pennsylvania opponents chose to stay away. When the vote was called on July 2, the Lee resolution passed by a vote of 12 to zero, with New York abstaining. After this historic decision, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, predicting that future Americans would commemorate their independence with a festival every second of July.
Meanwhile, that same day in the New York harbor, British troops under Admiral William Howe landed at Staten Island. They were preparing for an imminent battle with Washington’s forces.
The full Congress then began debating the declaration, making substantial editorial revisions but leaving mostly untouched the soaring rhetoric of Jefferson’s opening paragraphs. On July 4, Congress approved the final draft. It ordered the statement printed and distributed to the colonial assemblies and divisions of the Continental Army.
That evening, the printer John Dunlap prepared a large broadside with the complete text of “a Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled.” It is believed that about 200 copies of the Dunlap broadside were published on July 5; about 25 still exist today. At the bottom are printed these words: “Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress, John Hancock, President. Attest, Charles Thomson, Secretary.” The document was read aloud in front of the statehouse in Philadelphia on July 8. Over the next few weeks, it was reprinted in newspapers up and down the Atlantic seaboard.
On July 9, New York reversed its earlier instructions to its delegates, permitting them to join the other colonies favoring a formal break with Britain. A few days later, the news reached Philadelphia that the colonies were now unanimously for independence. On July 19, Congress ordered an official copy of the declaration to be “fairly engrossed”—written out in large handwriting—on parchment for the delegates to sign. This job went to Timothy Matlack, an assistant to the congressional secretary, Charles Thomson.
On August 2, 1776, the Congress members affixed their signatures to this parchment inside the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall. The first and largest signature was that of the president of Congress, John Hancock of Massachusetts. The mood in the room was far from jubilant. All were aware of the magnitude of what they were undertaking—an act of high treason against the British Crown that could cost each man his life. Recalling the day many years later, Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Not every man who had been present in Congress on July 4 signed the declaration on August 2. Historians believe seven of the 56 signatures on the document were placed there later. Two prominent delegates passed up the chance to sign: John Dickinson of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York. The names of the signers were made public in January of 1777, when they were printed on another broadside edition of the Declaration published in Baltimore, Maryland.
After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Painting by Robert Edge Pine
The 4th of July is a special time in history. It is when the United States chose to become its own country in 1776. On this date, an important paper was approved by U.S. leaders. It is known as the Declaration of Independence. Its history deserves a closer look.
Trouble with England
Before George Washington was president, the United States was ruled by the king of England. The U.S. was 13 colonies of England. The colonies became upset with the way the king governed. The colonies chose lawmakers to help protect them. There were several battles between the colonies and England. Eventually, people wanted to break away from the king. They wanted the U.S. to have its own leaders and laws.
Writing an Important Paper
Lawmakers from the colonies formed a congress. In June 1776, Congress gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The lawmakers decided to write the Declaration of Independence. A declaration is a strong statement. It stated exactly why the U.S. wanted its own laws and leaders.
The men who worked on this declaration are often called the founders of the U.S. They included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. There were many edits and changes to the writing. It took time and careful teamwork to finish the declaration.
On July 1 the lawmakers looked it over. Many leaders were nervous about voting for it because they feared war with England. Leaders voted on the declaration. If it passed, the U.S. would stand against England. This took some time as different states made decisions. Some states were afraid to become independent. On July 2, the declaration passed. On July 4, 1776, lawmakers approved the last edits.
A Daring Signature
Even after this, there were more edits. It was printed several times. Lawmakers needed all of the states to settle on how it was written. Finally, the last edits were approved on July 9. The declaration was signed by the leaders on August 2nd. John Hancock was the head of these lawmakers. He had the biggest, boldest signature.
Signing this paper was serious. The leaders were daring to sign the declaration. These brave leaders could have lost their lives signing their names. Yet, this paper helped make the U.S. its own country.
After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Painting by Robert Edge Pine
The famous printed version of the Declaration of Independence is decorated with the words “In Congress, July 4, 1776.” It is boldly signed by John Hancock and the founders at the bottom. Curiously, it was not officially signed on July 4th. The document, so important to the United States of America, was written through a process that took time and cooperation.
Beginning Drafts of the Declaration
In May of 1775, Congress was seated in the Pennsylvania State House. Weeks earlier, hostilities had broken out between the British troops and colonial soldiers in Massachusetts. The British king had ignored a written complaint sent by Congress earlier that stated the colonists’ frustrations. In August of 1775, the King declared the colonies to be in open rebellion. Congress swiftly formed a Continental Army under the command of George Washington. Support was steadily growing throughout the colonies for independence from Great Britain.
On June 7, 1776, a Virginia lawmaker named Richard Henry Lee proposed a resolution in Congress. This resolution stated that the colonies had the right to be independent states. It also declared that colonies should be free from allegiance to the British Crown. Lastly, it stated that all political connections to Britain should be dissolved. Other towns and colonial groups were issuing similar pleas.
Such a strong action demanded careful deliberation. On June 11, Congress organized a process to clarify this resolution. It appointed a five-member committee to draft a public statement that would further explain the reasons for declaring independence should Congress decide to do so. John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were on the committee. Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman were also appointed. The fifth member, Thomas Jefferson, was chosen to be the document’s principal drafter. After incorporating suggestions by Adams and Franklin, the committee submitted its draft declaration to Congress on June 28.
Congress debated the declaration on July 1. Nine colonies were prepared to vote in favor. Delegates from South Carolina and Pennsylvania were opposed. Two Delaware delegates were stuck on their decision. The New York delegates were unable to vote since they were instructed to cooperate with the king. Overnight, however, the situation changed. On July 2, Caesar Rodney rode into Philadelphia from Delaware, bringing a tie-breaking vote in favor of independence. South Carolina shifted its position in favor, and the Pennsylvania opponents chose to stay away. When the vote was called on July 2, the written statement passed by a vote of 12 to zero, with New York abstaining. After this historic decision, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, predicting that future Americans would celebrate independence on July 2.
Further Edits and First Printing
Fueled by growing threats of battle with the British, Congress began debating the declaration. They made further edits to the writing, yet left in Jefferson’s passionate opening paragraphs. On July 4, Congress approved the final draft.
That evening, the complete text of “a Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America” was ordered to be printed. It is believed that about 200 copies were published on July 5. Only about 25 still exist today. The document was signed by John Hancock. It was read aloud in front of the statehouse in Philadelphia on July 8. Over the next few weeks, it was reprinted in newspapers up and down the Atlantic seaboard.
It wasn’t until July 9 that New York finally joined the other colonies. A few days later, the news reached Philadelphia that the colonies were fully united upon independence. On July 19, Congress ordered an official copy of the declaration for the delegates to sign.
Signing the Declaration
On August 2, 1776, Congress members signed the declaration inside the Pennsylvania State House. Not every man who had been present on July 4 signed the declaration on August 2. Two important officials passed up the chance to sign and others were added later. The first and largest signature was that of the president of Congress, John Hancock.
The mood in the room was far from celebratory. Everyone was aware of what they were undertaking. It was an act of high treason against the British Crown that could cost each man his life. Recalling the day many years later, Benjamin Rush, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a civic leader in Philadelphia.
wrote about how awful and silent the house was as each member was “called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress.” There they signed “what was believed … at that time to be our own death warrants.”
After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Painting by Robert Edge Pine
The most famous printed version of the Declaration of Independence is emblazoned with the words “In Congress, July 4, 1776” at the top. It displays the signatures of John Hancock and other founders at the bottom. Interestingly, this document was not officially signed on that celebrated date. The document, central to founding the United States of America, was created through a process that took time, cooperation, and revision. Its history deserves a closer look.
Beginning Drafts of the Declaration
In May of 1775, the Second Continental Congress was seated in the Assembly Hall of the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. Weeks earlier, hostilities had broken out between the British and colonial militias in Massachusetts. The British king had ignored the petition sent the prior October by the First Continental Congress, stating the colonists’ frustrations. In August of 1775, the king declared the colonies to be rebels. The Second Congress swiftly formed a Continental Army under the command of George Washington. By the middle of 1776, public support grew throughout the colonies in favor of independence from Great Britain.
On June 7, 1776, a Virginia delegate named Henry Lee, acting on behalf of the Virginia Convention, proposed a resolution in Congress. This resolution for independence stated that the “United Colonies” had the right to be free and independent states. It also declared that the colonies should be free from allegiance to the British Crown. Lastly, it stated that all political connections to Britain should be totally dissolved. Other towns and colonial assemblies were issuing similar pleas.
Such a strong action demanded careful deliberation. On June 11, Congress organized a process to clarify a vote on the resolution. It appointed a five-member committee to draft a public statement that would further explain the reasons for declaring independence should Congress decide to do so. John Adams of Massachusetts and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania were on the committee. Robert R. Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut were also appointed. The fifth member, Virginian Thomas Jefferson, was chosen to be the document’s principal drafter.
After incorporating changes suggested by Adams and Franklin, the committee submitted its draft declaration to Congress on June 28. This is the scene illustrated in a famous painting that now hangs in the Capitol Building rotunda in Washington, D.C.
Congress debated the resolution on Monday, July 1. Nine colonies were prepared to vote in favor. The South Carolina and Pennsylvania delegations were opposed. Two Delaware delegates were deadlocked and the New York delegates were unable to vote since their instruction permitted them only to cooperate with the king. Overnight, however, the situation changed. On July 2, Caesar Rodney rode into Philadelphia from Dover, Delaware, bringing a tie-breaking vote for Delaware in favor of independence. South Carolina shifted its position in favor, and the Pennsylvania opponents chose to stay away. When the vote was called on July 2, the resolution passed by a vote of 12 to zero, with New York abstaining. After this historic decision, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, predicting that future Americans would mark their independence with a festival every second of July.
Further Edits and First Printing
Fueled by the growing threat of violence with British troops, the full Congress then began debating the declaration. They began making significant edits while leaving Jefferson’s passionately written opening paragraphs. On July 4, Congress approved the final draft and ordered it to be printed.
That evening, the printer was prepared for a complete text of “a Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled.” It is believed that about 200 copies were published on July 5 and only about 25 still exist today. The document was signed by John Hancock. It was read aloud in front of the statehouse in Philadelphia on July 8. Over the next few weeks, it was reprinted in newspapers up and down the Atlantic seaboard.
On July 9, New York joined the other colonies favoring a formal break with Britain. A few days later, the news reached Philadelphia that the colonies were united upon independence. On July 19, Congress ordered an official copy of the declaration on parchment for the delegates to sign.
Signing the Declaration
On August 2, 1776, the Congress members placed their signatures on this parchment inside the Pennsylvania State House. Not every man who had been present on July 4 signed the declaration on August 2. Two prominent delegates passed up the chance to sign and others were added later. The first and largest signature was that of the president of Congress, John Hancock. The mood in the room was far from jubilant.
All were aware of what they were undertaking. It was an act of high treason against the British Crown that could cost each man his life. Recalling the day many years later, Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a leader in Philadelphia, wrote of the tense “and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Painting by Robert Edge Pine
The most well-known printed version of the Declaration of Independence is emblazoned with the words “In Congress, July 4, 1776” at the top, and displays the signatures of John Hancock and other founding fathers at the bottom. Yet it is not true, as often believed, that the document was actually signed on that celebrated date. These historic events, central to the founding of the United States of America, deserve to be understood in detail.
In May of 1775, the Second Continental Congress was seated in the Assembly Hall of the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. Weeks earlier, hostilities had broken out between the British and colonial militias at Lexington, Massachusetts, and Concord, Massachusetts. King George III had not replied to the petition sent the prior October by the First Continental Congress, stating the colonists’ grievances. In August of 1775, the king declared the colonies to be in open rebellion. The Second Congress swiftly formed a Continental Army under the command of George Washington. By the middle of 1776, public sentiment in numerous colonies appeared to have turned decisively in favor of independence from Great Britain.
“Resolved, That these United Colonies”
Richard Henry Lee, a Virginia delegate acting on behalf of the Virginia Convention, proposed a resolution to Congress for independence on June 7, 1776. The first of three provisions in this resolution reads as follows: “Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, 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, totally dissolved.” Other towns and colonial assemblies were issuing similar pleas.
Such a profound action demanded careful deliberation. On June 11, Congress organized a process to further clarify a vote on Lee’s resolution. It appointed a five-member committee to draft a public statement that would explain the reasons for declaring independence should Congress so decide. John Adams of Massachusetts and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania were on the committee, along with Robert R. Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. The fifth member, Virginian Thomas Jefferson, was chosen to be the document’s principal drafter. After incorporating changes suggested by Adams and Franklin, the committee submitted its draft declaration to Congress on June 28. This is the scene depicted in John Trumbull’s famous painting that now hangs in the Capitol Building rotunda in Washington, D.C.
Congress debated Lee’s resolution on Monday, July 1. Nine colonies were prepared to vote in favor. The South Carolina and Pennsylvania delegations were opposed; the two Delaware delegates were deadlocked, and the New York delegates were unable to vote since their instructions permitted them only to pursue reconciliation with the king. Overnight, however, the situation changed. On July 2, Caesar Rodney rode into Philadelphia from Dover, Delaware, bringing a tie-breaking vote for Delaware in favor of independence. South Carolina shifted its position in favor, and the Pennsylvania opponents chose to stay away. When the vote was called on July 2, the Lee resolution passed by a vote of 12 to zero, with New York abstaining. After this historic decision, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, predicting that future Americans would commemorate their independence with a festival every second of July.
Meanwhile, that same day in the New York harbor, British troops under Admiral William Howe landed at Staten Island. They were preparing for an imminent battle with Washington’s forces.
The Congress Debates
The full Congress then began debating the declaration, making substantial editorial revisions while leaving the soaring rhetoric of Jefferson’s opening paragraphs mostly untouched. On July 4, Congress approved the final draft. It ordered the statement to be printed and distributed to the colonial assemblies and divisions of the Continental Army.
That evening, the printer John Dunlap prepared a large broadside with the complete text of “a Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled.” It is believed that about 200 copies of the Dunlap broadside were published on July 5; about 25 still exist today. At the bottom are printed these words: “Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress, John Hancock, President. Attest, Charles Thomson, Secretary.” The document was read aloud in front of the statehouse in Philadelphia on July 8. Over the next few weeks, it was reprinted in newspapers up and down the Atlantic seaboard.
On July 9, New York reversed its earlier instructions to its delegates, permitting them to join the other colonies favoring a formal break with Britain. A few days later, the news reached Philadelphia that the colonies were now unanimously for independence. On July 19, Congress ordered an official copy of the declaration to be “fairly engrossed”—written out in large handwriting—on parchment for the delegates to sign. This job went to Timothy Matlack, an assistant to the congressional secretary, Charles Thomson.
Signing the Document
On August 2, 1776, the Congress members affixed their signatures to this parchment inside the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall. The first and largest signature was that of the president of Congress, John Hancock of Massachusetts. The mood in the room was far from jubilant. All were aware of the magnitude of what they were undertaking—an act of high treason against the British Crown that could cost each man his life. Recalling the day many years later, Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Not every man who had been present in Congress on July 4 signed the declaration on August 2. Historians believe seven of the 57 signatures on the document were placed there later. Two prominent delegates passed up the chance to sign: John Dickinson of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York. The names of the signers were made public in January of 1777, when they were printed on another broadside edition of the Declaration published in Baltimore, Maryland.
After much debate, the Second Continental Congress ultimately agreed to the Declaration of Independence, and then signed it on August 2, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Rush wrote of the “pensive and awful silence which pervaded the house when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress,” to sign “what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants.”
Painting by Robert Edge Pine
The article was originally published here.
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