What name is given to the first printed broadsides of the Declaration of Independence?

The first printed broadsides of the Declaration of Independence are called Dunlap broadsides.

They were printed by John Dunlap, the official printer to the Continental Congress, shortly after Congress adopted the declaration in July 1776. These sheets allowed the revolutionary government to distribute the text quickly to colonial assemblies, military leaders, committees, and the public.

The Dunlap broadsides are not the same as the famous engrossed parchment. The parchment was handwritten and signed primarily on August 2, while the broadsides were printed copies produced soon after adoption. The printed text also helped establish the wording that would circulate during the war.

Only a limited number of the original broadsides are known to survive. Their rarity makes them important artifacts of early American printing and Revolutionary history. The term “Dunlap broadside” identifies both the printer and the format: a single large sheet printed on one side.