Twenty-six Dunlap broadsides of the Declaration of Independence are known to survive for America250’s founding story. John Dunlap printed the first public copies of the Declaration in Philadelphia on the night of July 4, 1776.
A broadside is a large sheet printed on one side, intended for public reading or posting. Dunlap’s copies were produced before the famous engrossed parchment document was prepared and signed by delegates. Congress sent the printed sheets to colonial governments, military leaders, and other officials.
Historians believe roughly 200 Dunlap broadsides were printed, but only 26 are known to exist today. One surviving copy was discovered in the British National Archives in 2009, adding to the group of rare surviving originals.
These broadsides are distinct from the engrossed parchment copy displayed at the National Archives. The engrossed copy is the handwritten document commonly shown in photographs, while the Dunlap broadside represents the Declaration’s earliest public printed form.