Most delegates signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776, a document featured in America’s 250th anniversary.
Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, but the final parchment copy was prepared afterward. On August 2, 1776, 50 delegates signed the document in Philadelphia. Five additional delegates signed later, bringing the traditional total to 56.
Not every person who voted for independence was present on August 2, and some delegates joined Congress after July 4. The signing therefore represents the formal endorsement of the engrossed parchment rather than the moment Congress adopted the text.
The document’s signatures include John Hancock, whose large and distinctive name became famous. The parchment is now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., alongside the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.