What was the first newspaper to publish the Declaration of Independence, relevant to America250?

The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first newspaper to publish the Declaration of Independence, a document celebrated by America250.

The newspaper printed the Declaration on July 6, 1776, two days after the Second Continental Congress adopted it. This publication helped move the revolutionary statement from the congressional meeting room into public circulation throughout the colonies.

Congress also ordered printed broadsides from John Dunlap, whose copies were distributed to officials, military leaders, and other communities. A newspaper and a broadside served different purposes: the newspaper carried the text as part of a periodical publication, while the broadside was a separate large printed sheet designed for distribution and display.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post was published in Philadelphia, where Congress was meeting. It should not be confused with the Pennsylvania Gazette, another important colonial newspaper associated with Benjamin Franklin, or with newspapers from Boston and Virginia. This early publication history shows how quickly the Declaration became a public political message.