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84-585: The American Independence Museum opened in 1991, six years after a Dunlap Broadside was found in the attic of the Ladd-Gilman House. The Society of the Cincinnati , owners of the house, enlisted Sotheby's to explore a sale of the document, but that effort was halted when the State of New Hampshire raised questions about ownership. The Society subsequently opened the museum to educate visitors about

168-482: A copy that was submitted to Congress in the name of the committee. Jefferson kept the Rough Draft and made additional notes on it as Congress revised the text. He also made several copies of the Rough Draft without the changes made by Congress, which he sent to friends, including Richard Henry Lee and George Wythe , after July 4. At some point in the process, Adams also wrote out a copy. In 1823, Jefferson wrote

252-516: A document was signed in Congress on July 4, it would have been the Fair Copy, and probably would have been signed only by John Hancock with his signature being attested by Thomson. The Fair Copy may have been destroyed in the printing process, or destroyed during the debates in accordance with Congress's secrecy rule. Author Wilfred J. Ritz speculates that the Fair Copy was immediately sent to

336-399: A faculty residence. In 2004, the tavern was moved to its current location on museum grounds, at the intersection of Spring and Water Streets. Extensive restoration on the building included the installation of a new roof and clapboards. Interior restoration began in 2006, after receiving a grant from New Hampshire's Land and Community Heritage Investment Program. The tavern opened in 2007, and

420-462: A fair copy, reported it to the Committee, and from them, unaltered, to Congress." If Jefferson's memories were correct, and he indeed wrote out a fair copy which was shown to the drafting committee and then submitted to Congress on June 28, this document has not been found. "If this manuscript still exists," wrote historian Ted Widmer , "it is the holy grail of American freedom." The Fair Copy

504-561: A four-page draft that late in life he called the "original Rough draft". Known to historians as the Rough Draft, early students of the Declaration believed that this was a draft written alone by Jefferson and then presented to the Committee of Five drafting committee. Some scholars now believe that the Rough Draft was not actually an "original Rough draft", but was instead a revised version completed by Jefferson after consultation with

588-523: A letter to James Madison in which he recounted the drafting process. After making alterations to his draft as suggested by Franklin and Adams, he recalled that "I then wrote a fair copy, reported it to the Committee, and from them, unaltered, to Congress." If Jefferson's memories were correct, and he indeed wrote out a fair copy which was shown to the drafting committee and then submitted to Congress on June 28, this document has not been found. "If this manuscript still exists," wrote historian Ted Widmer , "it

672-538: A research library. Exeter was the capital of New Hampshire when Colonel Samuel Folsom built his tavern in 1775. During the Revolutionary War , it was the site of many passionate political debates and was a popular spot with men of the town after. It was originally located on the corner of Court and Mill streets (now Front and Water streets). The New Hampshire chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati formed in

756-483: A small part of the text of the Declaration, as well as some unrelated notes made by Jefferson. Prior to Boyd's discovery, the only known draft of the Declaration had been a document known as the Rough Draft. The discovery confirmed speculation by historians that Jefferson must have written more than one draft of the text. Many of the words from the Composition Draft were ultimately deleted by Congress from

840-704: A variety of public programs; the largest is the American Independence Festival, held annually during July. The Festival engages thousands of visitors in the nation's 18th century heritage. The American Independence Festival, previously known as the Revolutionary War Festival, is an annual festival produced by the American Independence Museum. The Festival, held the 3rd Saturday in July, commemorates

924-590: Is a fragment known as the "Composition Draft". The draft, written in July 1776, is in the handwriting of Thomas Jefferson , principal author of the Declaration. It was discovered in 1947 by historian Julian P. Boyd in the Jefferson papers at the Library of Congress . Boyd was examining primary documents for publication in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson when he found the document, a piece of paper that contains

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1008-456: Is not on this document, but his name appears in large type under "Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress", with secretary Charles Thomson listed as a witness ("Attest"). On July 4, 1776, Congress ordered the same committee charged with writing the document to "superintend and correct the press", that is, supervise the printing. Dunlap, an Irish immigrant then 29 years old, was tasked with

1092-669: Is now part of the museum's regular tour. It is also used as a programming location for the museum, and is often rented out by third parties. Folsom Tavern was added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2018. The museum's collection of historical artifacts includes the Dunlap Broadside, two rare draft copies of the U.S. Constitution and a Badge of Military Merit (the original Purple Heart ), awarded by General George Washington to soldiers demonstrating extraordinary bravery. Some of

1176-488: Is the holy grail of American freedom." The Fair Copy was presumably marked up by Charles Thomson , the secretary of the Continental Congress , while Congress debated and revised the text. This document was the one that Congress approved on July 4, making it what Boyd called the first "official" copy of the Declaration. The Fair Copy was sent to John Dunlap to be printed under the title "A Declaration by

1260-524: The Committee of Five drafting committee. Some scholars now believe that the Rough Draft was not actually an "original Rough draft", but was instead a revised version completed by Jefferson after consultation with the committee. How many drafts Jefferson wrote prior to this one, and how much of the text was contributed by other committee members, is unknown. Jefferson showed the Rough Draft to John Adams and Benjamin Franklin , and perhaps other members of

1344-668: The Library of Congress . Funds were appropriated to preserve the documents in a public exhibit that opened in 1924. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the documents were moved for safekeeping to the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox in Kentucky, where they were kept until 1944. For many years, officials at the National Archives believed that they, rather than

1428-403: The Library of Congress . Funds were appropriated to preserve the documents in a public exhibit that opened in 1924. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the documents were moved for safekeeping to the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox in Kentucky, where they were kept until 1944. For many years, officials at the National Archives believed that they, rather than

1512-533: The Thirteen Colonies were now the " United Colonies " which "are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States"; and were no longer a part of the British Empire . The earliest known draft of the Declaration of Independence is a fragment known as the "Composition Draft". The draft, written in July 1776, is in the handwriting of Thomas Jefferson , principal author of the Declaration. It

1596-542: The "Sussex Declaration" by its finders, Danielle Allen and Emily Sneff, it differs from the National Archives copy (which the finders refer to as the "Matlack Declaration") in that the signatures on it are not grouped by States. How it came to be in England is not yet known, but the finders believe that the randomness of the signatures points to an origin with signatory James Wilson , who had argued strongly that

1680-419: The "Sussex Declaration" by its finders, Danielle Allen and Emily Sneff, it differs from the National Archives copy (which the finders refer to as the "Matlack Declaration") in that the signatures on it are not grouped by States. How it came to be in England is not yet known, but the finders believe that the randomness of the signatures points to an origin with signatory James Wilson , who had argued strongly that

1764-574: The 19th century, Stone's engraving, rather than the original, has become the basis of most modern reproductions. 48 of the documents produced by Stone are known to still exist as of 2021; one was sold at auction for $ 4,420,000 on July 1, 2021. From 1841 to 1876, the engrossed copy was publicly displayed on a wall opposite a large window at the Patent Office building in Washington, D.C. Exposed to sunlight and variable temperature and humidity,

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1848-452: The 19th century, Stone's engraving, rather than the original, has become the basis of most modern reproductions. 48 of the documents produced by Stone are known to still exist as of 2021; one was sold at auction for $ 4,420,000 on July 1, 2021. From 1841 to 1876, the engrossed copy was publicly displayed on a wall opposite a large window at the Patent Office building in Washington, D.C. Exposed to sunlight and variable temperature and humidity,

1932-463: The Composition Draft and the paper of the Rough Draft were made by the same manufacturer. In 1995, conservators at the Library of Congress undid some previous restoration work on the fragment and placed it in a protective mat. The document is stored in a cold storage vault. When it is exhibited, the fragment is placed in a temperature and humidity controlled display case. Thomas Jefferson preserved

2016-405: The Congress", with secretary Charles Thomson listed as a witness ("Attest"). On July 4, 1776, Congress ordered the same committee charged with writing the document to "superintend and correct the press", that is, supervise the printing. Dunlap, an Irish immigrant then 29 years old, was tasked with the job; he apparently spent much of the night of July 4 setting type, correcting it, and running off

2100-587: The Declaration and the American Revolution. Since the museum’s opening, the museum has restored the Folsom Tavern, adding additional material and space to the museum. The museum now focuses on Revolutionary history and the role of Exeter and the Gilman family in the forming of the new nation. The Ladd-Gilman House was the home of an 18th-century merchant family whose members played key roles in

2184-645: The Declaration be read to the troops on July 9. Another copy was sent to England. In 1949, 14 copies of the Dunlap broadside were known to exist. The number had increased to 21 by 1975. There were 24 known copies of the Dunlap broadside in 1989, when a 25th broadside was discovered behind a painting bought for four dollars at a flea market . Another copy was discovered in 2009 in The National Archives in Kew, England. An early assessment concluded that it

2268-598: The Declaration had been a document known as the Rough Draft. The discovery confirmed speculation by historians that Jefferson must have written more than one draft of the text. Many of the words from the Composition Draft were ultimately deleted by Congress from the final text of the Declaration. George Mason was a Virginian politician and wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights in May–June 1776. Mason wrote something very similar to Jefferson's first section of

2352-666: The Declaration was made not by the States but by the whole people. The Sussex Declaration was probably brought to Sussex, England by Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond , known as the 'radical duke'. The finders identify the Sussex Declaration as a transcription of the Matlack Declaration, probably made between 1783 and 1790 and likely in New York City or possibly Philadelphia . They propose that

2436-411: The Declaration was made not by the States but by the whole people. The Sussex Declaration was probably brought to Sussex, England by Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond , known as the 'radical duke'. The finders identify the Sussex Declaration as a transcription of the Matlack Declaration, probably made between 1783 and 1790 and likely in New York City or possibly Philadelphia . They propose that

2520-405: The Declaration were printed by John Dunlap , the night of July 4th . Dunlap was asked to print at least 150 and no more than 200 copies of the broadside. One was to go to each of the state capitals, military encampments, and several sent to England to inform King George III . The museum's particular broadside reached Exeter on July 16, 1776, and was read by John Taylor Gilman , the eldest son of

2604-476: The Declaration, Thomas McKean , is not listed on the Goddard broadside, suggesting that he had not yet added his name to the signed document at that time. In 1949, nine Goddard broadsides were known to still exist. The reported locations of those copies at that time were these: In addition to the broadsides authorized by Congress, many states and private printers also issued broadsides of the Declaration, using

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2688-421: The Declaration, Thomas McKean , is not listed on the Goddard broadside, suggesting that he had not yet added his name to the signed document at that time. In 1949, nine Goddard broadsides were known to still exist. The reported locations of those copies at that time were these: In addition to the broadsides authorized by Congress, many states and private printers also issued broadsides of the Declaration, using

2772-447: The Declaration. Dunlap's broadsides were distributed throughout the thirteen states. Upon receiving these broadsides, many states issued their own broadside editions. The Dunlap broadsides are the first published copies of the Declaration of Independence, printed on the night of July 4, 1776. It is unknown exactly how many broadsides were originally printed, but the number is estimated at 200. John Hancock 's eventually famous signature

2856-576: The Dunlap broadside as a source. In 1949, an article in the Harvard Library Review surveyed all the broadsides known to exist at that time and found 19 editions or variations of editions, including the Dunlap and Goddard printings. The author was able to locate 71 copies of these various editions. A number of copies have been discovered since that time. In 1971, a copy of a rare four-column broadside probably printed in Salem, Massachusetts

2940-451: The Dunlap broadside as a source. In 1949, an article in the Harvard Library Review surveyed all the broadsides known to exist at that time and found 19 editions or variations of editions, including the Dunlap and Goddard printings. The author was able to locate 71 copies of these various editions. A number of copies have been discovered since that time. In 1971, a copy of a rare four-column broadside probably printed in Salem, Massachusetts

3024-416: The Fair Copy was immediately sent to the printer so that copies could be made for each member of Congress to consult during the debate, and that all of these copies were then destroyed to preserve secrecy. The Declaration was first published as a broadside printed by John Dunlap of Philadelphia. One broadside was pasted into Congress's journal , making it what Boyd called the "second official version" of

3108-510: The Gilman household, to the people of Exeter. The broadside is displayed once a year on the third Saturday of July during the museum's American Independence Festival, that commemorates the arrival of the document and the reading by John Taylor Gilman. The museum is open seasonally, May through November, Wednesday through Saturday, from 10am to 4pm. Guided tours of the Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern are available at 10 am, noon and 2 pm; self-guided tours are available until 3 pm. The museum hosts

3192-568: The Ladd-Gilman house. In 1947, Martha Foster Stearns, a preservationist and Colonial Dame , proposed to restore the tavern, in exchange for a long-term residential lease. The Society agreed, and the Stearns restored and modernized much of the original tavern. The Stearns lived in the Tavern until 1956. Between 1956 and 1992, the tavern was leased out to neighboring Phillips Exeter Academy as

3276-566: The Library of Congress, should have custody of the Declaration and the Constitution. The transfer finally took place in 1952, and the documents, along with the Bill of Rights , are now on permanent display at the National Archives in the "Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom ". Although encased in helium , by the early 1980s the documents were threatened by further deterioration. In 2001, using

3360-400: The Library of Congress, should have custody of the Declaration and the Constitution. The transfer finally took place in 1952, and the documents, along with the Bill of Rights , are now on permanent display at the National Archives in the "Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom ". Although encased in helium , by the early 1980s the documents were threatened by further deterioration. In 2001, using

3444-605: The Representatives of the united states of america , in General Congress assembled". Boyd argued that if a document was signed in Congress on July 4, it would have been the Fair Copy, and probably would have been signed only by John Hancock with his signature being attested by Thomson. The Fair Copy may have been destroyed in the printing process, or destroyed during the debates in accordance with Congress's secrecy rule. Author Wilfred J. Ritz speculates that

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3528-517: The Sussex Declaration "descended from the Matlack Declaration, and it (or a copy) served, before disappearing from view, as a source text for both the 1818 Tyler engraving and the 1836 Bridgham engraving". Physical history of the United States Declaration of Independence#List of extant Dunlap broadsides The physical history of the United States Declaration of Independence spans from its original drafting in 1776 into

3612-554: The World . "It is romantic to think that Benjamin Franklin , the greatest printer of his day, was there in Dunlap's shop to supervise, and that Jefferson, the nervous author, was also close at hand." John Adams later wrote, "We were all in haste." The Dunlap broadsides were sent across the new United States over the next two days, including to Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army , George Washington , who directed that

3696-706: The birth of the United States. Nicholas Gilman, Sr. served as the New Hampshire state treasurer during the American Revolution when the capital of New Hampshire moved from Portsmouth to Exeter. Eldest son John Taylor Gilman read the Declaration of Independence to the citizens of Exeter in 1776 and later became New Hampshire governor for 14 non-consecutive terms between 1794 and 1805, and then again in 1813 to 1816. Nicholas Gilman, Jr.

3780-476: The broadside sheets. "There is evidence it was done quickly, and in excitement—watermarks are reversed, some copies look as if they were folded before the ink could dry and bits of punctuation move around from one copy to another", according to Ted Widmer, author of Ark of the Liberties: America and the World . "It is romantic to think that Benjamin Franklin , the greatest printer of his day,

3864-603: The cancellation of those plans and the removal of the document from public exhibition. The document was sealed between two plates of glass and placed in storage. For nearly 30 years, it was exhibited only on rare occasions at the discretion of the Secretary of State. In 1921, custody of the Declaration, along with the United States Constitution , was transferred from the State Department to

3948-401: The cancellation of those plans and the removal of the document from public exhibition. The document was sealed between two plates of glass and placed in storage. For nearly 30 years, it was exhibited only on rare occasions at the discretion of the Secretary of State. In 1921, custody of the Declaration, along with the United States Constitution , was transferred from the State Department to

4032-552: The committee. How many drafts Jefferson wrote prior to this one, and how much of the text was contributed by other committee members, is unknown. Jefferson showed the Rough Draft to John Adams and Benjamin Franklin , and perhaps other members of the drafting committee. Adams and Franklin made a few more changes. Franklin, for example, may have been responsible for changing Jefferson's original phrase "We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable" to "We hold these truths to be self-evident." Jefferson incorporated these changes into

4116-414: The declaration. Its opening was: Section 1. That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. Phrases from

4200-423: The discovery of historical documents in the 21st century. This includes a number of drafts, handwritten copies, and published broadsides . The Declaration of Independence states that the Thirteen Colonies were now the " United Colonies " which "are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States"; and were no longer a part of the British Empire . The earliest known draft of the Declaration of Independence

4284-649: The document faded badly. In 1876, it was sent to Independence Hall in Philadelphia for exhibit during the Centennial Exposition , which was held in honor of the Declaration's 100th anniversary, and then returned to Washington the next year. In 1892, preparations were made for the engrossed copy to be exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, but the poor condition of the document led to

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4368-410: The document faded badly. In 1876, it was sent to Independence Hall in Philadelphia for exhibit during the Centennial Exposition , which was held in honor of the Declaration's 100th anniversary, and then returned to Washington the next year. In 1892, preparations were made for the engrossed copy to be exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, but the poor condition of the document led to

4452-450: The drafting committee. Adams and Franklin made a few more changes. Franklin, for example, may have been responsible for changing Jefferson's original phrase "We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable" to "We hold these truths to be self-evident." Jefferson incorporated these changes into a copy that was submitted to Congress in the name of the committee. Jefferson kept the Rough Draft and made additional notes on it as Congress revised

4536-516: The enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. Phrases from the fragment to survive the editing process include "acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation" and "hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends". Forensic examination has determined that the paper of

4620-400: The event. The event attracts thousands of visitors every year. Dunlap Broadside The physical history of the United States Declaration of Independence spans from its original drafting in 1776 into the discovery of historical documents in the 21st century. This includes a number of drafts, handwritten copies, and published broadsides . The Declaration of Independence states that

4704-471: The final text of the Declaration. George Mason was a Virginian politician and wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights in May–June 1776. Mason wrote something very similar to Jefferson's first section of the declaration. Its opening was: Section 1. That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely,

4788-455: The fragment and placed it in a protective mat. The document is stored in a cold storage vault. When it is exhibited, the fragment is placed in a temperature and humidity controlled display case. Thomas Jefferson preserved a four-page draft that late in life he called the "original Rough draft". Known to historians as the Rough Draft, early students of the Declaration believed that this was a draft written alone by Jefferson and then presented to

4872-435: The fragment to survive the editing process include "acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation" and "hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends". Forensic examination has determined that the paper of the Composition Draft and the paper of the Rough Draft were made by the same manufacturer. In 1995, conservators at the Library of Congress undid some previous restoration work on

4956-413: The job; he apparently spent much of the night of July 4 setting type, correcting it, and running off the broadside sheets. "There is evidence it was done quickly, and in excitement—watermarks are reversed, some copies look as if they were folded before the ink could dry and bits of punctuation move around from one copy to another", according to Ted Widmer, author of Ark of the Liberties: America and

5040-633: The latest in preservation technology, conservators treated the documents and transferred them to encasements made of titanium and aluminum , filled with inert argon gas. They were put on display again with the opening of the remodeled National Archives Rotunda in 2003. On April 21, 2017, the Declaration Resources Project at Harvard University announced that a second parchment manuscript copy had been discovered at West Sussex Record Office in Chichester , England. Named

5124-491: The latest in preservation technology, conservators treated the documents and transferred them to encasements made of titanium and aluminum , filled with inert argon gas. They were put on display again with the opening of the remodeled National Archives Rotunda in 2003. On April 21, 2017, the Declaration Resources Project at Harvard University announced that a second parchment manuscript copy had been discovered at West Sussex Record Office in Chichester , England. Named

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5208-530: The museum’s other collections are period furniture, decorative arts from the 18th and 19th centuries, 18th century weaponry, military ephemera, letters, documents, and portraits of American statesmen. In 1985, the Broadside of the Declaration of Independence was found in the upstairs floorboards when electricians were wiring a security system for the house. This particular copy was the 23rd copy found, and now one of 26 copies known to exist . These copies of

5292-512: The original reading of the Dunlap Broadside in Exeter on July 16, 1776. The opening celebration starts with a parade of reenactors and a reading of the Declaration of Independence to festival-goers. The original Dunlap Broadside is displayed in the museum during the Festival. In addition, artisans engage visitors with traditional crafts; craft and local non-profit booths and food vendors round out

5376-444: The printer so that copies could be made for each member of Congress to consult during the debate, and that all of these copies were then destroyed to preserve secrecy. The Declaration was first published as a broadside printed by John Dunlap of Philadelphia. One broadside was pasted into Congress's journal , making it what Boyd called the "second official version" of the Declaration. Dunlap's broadsides were distributed throughout

5460-597: The same, when engrossed, be signed by every member of Congress. Throughout the Revolutionary War, the engrossed copy was moved with the Continental Congress, which relocated several times to avoid the British army. In 1789, after creation of a new government under the United States Constitution , the engrossed Declaration was transferred to the custody of the secretary of state . The document

5544-402: The same, when engrossed, be signed by every member of Congress. Throughout the Revolutionary War, the engrossed copy was moved with the Continental Congress, which relocated several times to avoid the British army. In 1789, after creation of a new government under the United States Constitution , the engrossed Declaration was transferred to the custody of the secretary of state . The document

5628-459: The tavern in 1783. George Washington stopped at the tavern for a collation on November 4, 1789, during his tour of the states. After Col. Folsom’s death in 1790, the tavern was willed to his widow and his two daughters who continued to operate the tavern, and became known as “Widow Folsom’s Tavern”. It stayed in the Folsom family until 1856. The tavern was bought in 1929 by the Society and moved to

5712-448: The text. He also made several copies of the Rough Draft without the changes made by Congress, which he sent to friends, including Richard Henry Lee and George Wythe , after July 4. At some point in the process, Adams also wrote out a copy. In 1823, Jefferson wrote a letter to James Madison in which he recounted the drafting process. After making alterations to his draft as suggested by Franklin and Adams, he recalled that "I then wrote

5796-481: The thirteen states. Upon receiving these broadsides, many states issued their own broadside editions. The Dunlap broadsides are the first published copies of the Declaration of Independence, printed on the night of July 4, 1776. It is unknown exactly how many broadsides were originally printed, but the number is estimated at 200. John Hancock 's eventually famous signature is not on this document, but his name appears in large type under "Signed by Order and in Behalf of

5880-467: Was evacuated to Virginia when the British attacked Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812 . After the War of 1812, the symbolic stature of the Declaration steadily increased even though the engrossed copy's ink was noticeably fading. In 1820, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned printer William J. Stone to create an engraving essentially identical to the engrossed copy. Stone's engraving

5964-419: Was evacuated to Virginia when the British attacked Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812 . After the War of 1812, the symbolic stature of the Declaration steadily increased even though the engrossed copy's ink was noticeably fading. In 1820, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned printer William J. Stone to create an engraving essentially identical to the engrossed copy. Stone's engraving

6048-421: Was a member of the Continental Army and a signer of the U.S. Constitution. In the early 20th century, the New Hampshire chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati purchased the building from the Gilman family and used the building as its meeting house, before converting the building into the museum. There are 7 rooms in the house open to the public for tours, with later additions now housing museum administration and

6132-591: Was discovered in Georgetown University 's Lauinger Library . In 2010, there were media reports that a copy of the Declaration was located in Shimla , India , having been discovered sometime during the 1990s in a book bought from the Viceroy's library. The type of copy was not specified. The copy of the Declaration that was signed by Congress is known as the engrossed or parchment copy. This copy

6216-413: Was discovered in Georgetown University 's Lauinger Library . In 2010, there were media reports that a copy of the Declaration was located in Shimla , India , having been discovered sometime during the 1990s in a book bought from the Viceroy's library. The type of copy was not specified. The copy of the Declaration that was signed by Congress is known as the engrossed or parchment copy. This copy

6300-402: Was discovered in 1947 by historian Julian P. Boyd in the Jefferson papers at the Library of Congress . Boyd was examining primary documents for publication in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson when he found the document, a piece of paper that contains a small part of the text of the Declaration, as well as some unrelated notes made by Jefferson. Prior to Boyd's discovery, the only known draft of

6384-401: Was made using a wet-ink transfer process, where the surface of the document was moistened, and some of the original ink transferred to the surface of a copper plate, which was then etched so that copies could be run off the plate on a press. When Stone finished his engraving in 1823, Congress ordered 200 copies to be printed on parchment. Because of poor conservation of the engrossed copy through

6468-401: Was made using a wet-ink transfer process, where the surface of the document was moistened, and some of the original ink transferred to the surface of a copper plate, which was then etched so that copies could be run off the plate on a press. When Stone finished his engraving in 1823, Congress ordered 200 copies to be printed on parchment. Because of poor conservation of the engrossed copy through

6552-496: Was part of a group of papers seized from American colonists during the American Revolutionary War . In January 1777, Congress commissioned Mary Katherine Goddard to print a new broadside that, unlike the Dunlap broadside, lists the signers of the Declaration. With the publication of the Goddard broadside, the public learned for the first time who had signed the Declaration. One of the eventual signers of

6636-417: Was part of a group of papers seized from American colonists during the American Revolutionary War . In January 1777, Congress commissioned Mary Katherine Goddard to print a new broadside that, unlike the Dunlap broadside, lists the signers of the Declaration. With the publication of the Goddard broadside, the public learned for the first time who had signed the Declaration. One of the eventual signers of

6720-466: Was presumably marked up by Charles Thomson , the secretary of the Continental Congress , while Congress debated and revised the text. This document was the one that Congress approved on July 4, making it what Boyd called the first "official" copy of the Declaration. The Fair Copy was sent to John Dunlap to be printed under the title "A Declaration by the Representatives of the united states of america , in General Congress assembled". Boyd argued that if

6804-479: Was probably handwritten by clerk Timothy Matlack , and given the title of "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America". This was specified by the Congressional resolution passed on July 19, 1776: Resolved, That the Declaration passed on the 4th, be fairly engrossed on parchment, with the title and stile of "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America," and that

6888-416: Was probably handwritten by clerk Timothy Matlack , and given the title of "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America". This was specified by the Congressional resolution passed on July 19, 1776: Resolved, That the Declaration passed on the 4th, be fairly engrossed on parchment, with the title and stile of "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America," and that

6972-409: Was sent to England. In 1949, 14 copies of the Dunlap broadside were known to exist. The number had increased to 21 by 1975. There were 24 known copies of the Dunlap broadside in 1989, when a 25th broadside was discovered behind a painting bought for four dollars at a flea market . Another copy was discovered in 2009 in The National Archives in Kew, England. An early assessment concluded that it

7056-402: Was there in Dunlap's shop to supervise, and that Jefferson, the nervous author, was also close at hand." John Adams later wrote, "We were all in haste." The Dunlap broadsides were sent across the new United States over the next two days, including to Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army , George Washington , who directed that the Declaration be read to the troops on July 9. Another copy

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