On what date was the main signing of the United States Declaration of Independence held?

The main signing of the United States Declaration of Independence was held on August 2, 1776.

Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, but the engrossed parchment copy was prepared afterward. Most historians conclude that the majority of the 56 delegates signed that copy at the Pennsylvania State House on August 2.

The timing is complicated because some delegates were absent on August 2, while others joined Congress after July 4. Several names were therefore added later. The document’s date and the date of the principal signing are not the same.

The famous image of every delegate signing together on July 4 is largely a later simplification. The Declaration became official through congressional adoption, while the signatures provided the enduring visual record of the people who committed themselves to the new political cause.