Fifty-six delegates eventually signed the Declaration of Independence.
The signers were delegates to the Second Continental Congress representing the thirteen colonies. Their names are arranged by colony on the engrossed parchment, with John Hancock’s prominent signature appearing first because he was president of Congress. The document’s signers included major political figures such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Samuel Adams.
The number 56 refers to the people whose signatures appear on the document, not to the number of delegates present for every vote. Some delegates signed later than others, and the exact signing chronology has been debated by historians. Most historians place the principal signing on August 2, 1776.
The signers faced serious danger because declaring independence could be treated as treason against the British Crown. Their signatures therefore represented more than ceremonial approval: they publicly attached their fortunes and reputations to the revolutionary cause.