Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Franklin was 70 years old when he signed the document in 1776. A printer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and Pennsylvania delegate, he was one of the most internationally recognized American political figures of the revolutionary era. His experience and reputation helped the new cause gain credibility.
Franklin served on the Committee of Five that prepared the Declaration, alongside Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. He helped review Jefferson’s draft before Congress debated and revised it. His signature appears among the 56 names on the engrossed parchment.
The youngest signer was Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, who was 26. This age contrast illustrates the wide range of experience represented among the delegates. Franklin’s age is sometimes confused with John Adams’s or John Hancock’s prominence, but the historical record identifies Franklin as the oldest signer.