Most delegates signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776.
This date is often confused with July 4, 1776, the day the Second Continental Congress adopted the declaration. Adoption and signing were separate stages. Congress approved the text first, then ordered an engrossed parchment copy prepared for signatures.
The signing took place at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, the building later known as Independence Hall. Most of the 56 delegates added their names on August 2, although some signatures were supplied later as delegates arrived or as the document was completed.
The distinction matters during the 250th-anniversary commemoration. July 4 remains the national anniversary date because it marks adoption of the declaration, while August 2 identifies the principal signing day. The Declaration’s title referred to the thirteen United States of America.