Fifty-six people signed the Declaration of Independence commemorated by America250.
The signers were delegates to the Second Continental Congress representing the thirteen American colonies. The signing is central to the 2026 semiquincentennial because America250 marks 250 years since the Declaration’s adoption in 1776.
The number 56 refers to the people whose names appear on the signed document, not the total number of delegates who attended Congress or the number of colonies represented. Signing took place over a period of time, and not every delegate added a name on July 4 itself.
John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, is especially associated with the document because of his large signature. The Declaration’s famous text and its 56 signatures are often treated as symbols of the founding-era political break with Great Britain.