That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States
Declaration of Independence, 1776
The Declaration wasn't signed on July 4, 1776. This is the date when it was adopted by Congress. The delegates began signing the parchment copy on August 2, 1776 after it had been approved and printed. The adoption date is obviously important, but there's more to the Declaration than that. Let's explore one of the nation's most famous documents.
Key Takeaways
- The Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776.¹
- Most delegates did not sign the Declaration on July 4; signing began on August 2, 1776.¹
- Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776, with New York abstaining.³
- Thomas Jefferson was the principal author, but the Declaration was reviewed by the Committee of Five and revised by Congress.⁹
- The Declaration explained why the colonies were separating from Britain and set out ideas about rights, government, and liberty.⁴
- The document eventually carried 56 signatures from delegates representing the 13 colonies.¹
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
Before anybody could sign the Declaration of Independence, it had to be drafted and agreed upon. By the summer of 1776, delegates in Philadelphia were deciding how the colonies should explain their position to the wider world, agreeing that protest against British policy, as exemplified by the Boston Tea Party, wasn't enough and that a formal break was required.⁸
The Path to Adoption
June 7, 1776
Lee’s Resolution
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced a resolution calling for the colonies to be "free and independent states." Congress delayed the vote, but the resolution pushed independence from debate into formal action.
June 11, 1776
The Committee of Five Is Appointed
Congress appointed John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman to draft a declaration explaining the case for independence.
June 28, 1776
Jefferson’s Draft Reaches Congress
After Jefferson's work and the committee's edits, the draft Declaration was presented to Congress for review. Congress then debated and revised the document before approving it.
July 2, 1776
Congress Votes for Independence
Twelve colonies voted in favor of independence, while New York abstained because its delegates had not yet received instructions to support the resolution.
July 4, 1776
July 4, 1776: The Declaration Is Adopted
Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This is the date printed on the document and remembered as Independence Day.
July 19, 1776
Congress Orders the Engrossed Copy
Congress ordered the Declaration to be engrossed on parchment, creating the formal handwritten copy that delegates would sign.
August 2, 1776
Delegates Begin Signing
Delegates began signing the engrossed copy on August 2, 1776. Most signatures were likely added that day, though some delegates signed later.
The Adoption Date: July 4, 1776
The famous date associated with the Declaration is July 4, 1776, though this is neither the date the document was signed nor when the American Revolution began. This was when Congress approved the final text. Two days earlier, Congress voted for independence, with New York abstaining because its delegates were still awaiting instructions.³ The document’s official status was settled on July 4, though the physical copy with the signatures came later.¹
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. That is why the date appears on the document and why July 4 became Independence Day, even though most delegates signed the engrossed parchment copy on August 2.
The Declaration had individual authors, but it represented the united colonies. Even though each colony had its own government, interests, and delegates, the Declaration offered a united idea. The wording framed the Declaration as a shared decision rather than a local rebellion.⁴
colonies that would become the United States.
The Signing of the Declaration
The signing of the Declaration wasn't the big dramatic moment on July 4 that it's often presented as. Instead, Congress approved the wording, then moved from the printed announcement to the creation of a formal parchment record that delegates could sign.⁵
After Congress approved the text, the Declaration was prepared as a formal parchment document. Delegates began signing that version on August 2, 1776, with John Hancock signing first as president of Congress and other delegates adding their names by colony.
The signing of the Declaration was to ensure that the delegates' support was visible and permanent. They were individual representatives from across the colonies. The signer list, in a sense, is almost as important as the document itself.¹ One signer, Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, later became closely associated with financing the Revolution, and without his financial help, the results of certain key battles could have been very different.⁶
delegates from the 13 colonies.
Authorship of the Declaration
If you're wondering who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence, the answer is Thomas Jefferson. However, Jefferson wasn't its sole author. Congress appointed a five-member drafting committee to prepare a declaration for review.² Jefferson then prepared the main draft, with the final wording reviewed, edited, and approved through the wider congressional process.⁹
The Committee of Five
The Committee of Five was behind the Declaration, but they were also bringing their own political experiences to the process. Then Congress had the final say over the wording. The document may have been shaped by one principal writer and a small committee, but it was finalized by the revolutionary leadership.²
Jefferson was chosen to prepare the main draft of the Declaration. His wording served as the basis for the document that Congress later debated and revised.
Adams was one of the strongest voices for independence in Congress. He reviewed Jefferson's draft and supported the case for a formal declaration.
Franklin brought political experience, international reputation, and editorial judgment to the committee. He also reviewed Jefferson's draft before it went to Congress.
Sherman represented Connecticut and was already an experienced colonial politician. His place on the committee helped broaden colonial representation in the drafting process.
Livingston represented New York on the committee. New York's delegates were still waiting for instructions during the independence vote, which made his role in the drafting committee especially interesting.³
Thomas Jefferson: The Principal Author
Jefferson was asked to put the Declaration's argument into written form. For readers asking who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence, his draft is the reason Jefferson is usually named first. His work became the starting point for the text that Congress eventually adopted.
The Declaration's language reflected ideas about rights, government, liberty, and consent that were already circulating in colonial political thought.⁸
Jefferson's wording was reviewed by the committee, including Adams and Franklin, before Congress debated and revised the document further.⁹
Even though the Declaration was a collective political document, Jefferson is remembered as its principal author because he prepared the draft that shaped the final text, which is why he is the answer to who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence.
Purpose and Significance of the Declaration
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
Declaration of Independence, 1776
The Declaration was a way for Congress to make a clear and unified public statement. It came at a time when they needed to both assert and justify independence. The opening sections establish key ideas about rights and government. The text then moves into charges against British rule, which gives the document both a philosophical and political purpose.⁴
The Declaration did more than announce that the colonies were separating from Britain. It explained the political principles behind independence, listed grievances against King George III. It helped present the United States as a nation capable of seeking foreign support.
The significance of the Declaration of Independence reaches far beyond 1776. The Declaration became one of the nation’s founding texts, and it gave American representatives and its Founding Fathers a clearer basis for diplomacy abroad.⁷ Its guiding principles still shape how later generations discuss liberty, rights, government, and national identity.
References
- “Declaration of Independence (1776).” National Archives, https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/declaration-of-independence. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “Declaration of Independence Resources.” National Constitution Center, https://constitutioncenter.org/declaration-of-independence-resources. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “Declaration of Independence Timeline.” National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/resources-declarationofindependence.htm. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” National Archives, https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “How Was It Made?” National Archives, https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration/how-was-it-made. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “Robert Morris, Jr.” National Constitution Center, https://constitutioncenter.org/signers/robert-morris-jr. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “The Declaration of Independence, 1776.” Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, https://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/declaration. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “The Declaration of Independence: How Did It Happen?” National Archives, https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration/how-did-it-happen. Accessed 3 May 2026.
- “Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence: Right to Institute New Government.” Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html. Accessed 3 May 2026.
Summarize with AI:
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
