Fifty-six delegates signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence, the founding document celebrated by America250.
The engrossed copy is the formal parchment version prepared after Congress approved the declaration. Most delegates signed it on August 2, 1776, rather than on July 4, the date Congress adopted the text. Additional signatures were added later by delegates who were absent or had not yet arrived.
The 56 signers represented the thirteen colonies, which became the first United States. Their names appear in groups associated with the colonies, with John Hancock’s large signature standing out near the center. The signing represented the delegates’ commitment to the declaration and exposed them to serious political and military consequences if the rebellion failed.
The number 56 is distinct from the number of colonies and from the number of delegates present when the document was adopted. New York initially abstained during the July 4 vote because its delegates lacked instructions, though the colony later supported independence.