The hand-written parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence showing historic script lines and signatures.
✦ ✦ ✦
56 SIGNATURES,
ONE REVOLUTION
✦ ✦ ✦
On July 4, 1776, representatives from the 13 colonies gathered in Philadelphia to declare independence from Great Britain. The Continental Congress had voted two days earlier to make the break and to write a Declaration of Independence.

John Hancock signed the Declaration first on that Fourth of July. Many of the others signed over the ensuing days and weeks. Their signatures — 56 names added to the official parchment copy — transformed a revolutionary decision into a public pledge.

These are the stories of the people behind the signatures.

United States
of America