Fifty-six delegates ultimately signed the engrossed parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence.
The signers were members of the Second Continental Congress representing the thirteen colonies. The famous parchment document was prepared after Congress approved the declaration, and the signatures were added primarily beginning on August 2, 1776. The group included well-known figures such as John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams.
The number 56 refers to people who signed, not the number of colonies or the number of delegates present for every congressional action. The signers did not all sign at the same moment, and some were absent when the Declaration was initially adopted. This timing is why “adopted on July 4” and “signed mainly on August 2” should not be treated as identical claims.
The complete signature list became one of the most recognizable features of the document. It helped transform a congressional resolution into a visually authoritative national statement.