The phrase “The unanimous” was added to the title of the engrossed Declaration of Independence in July 1776.
The document’s formal title became “The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America.” Congress ordered the addition on July 19, after the Declaration had already been adopted on July 4.
The wording referred to the colonies’ united declaration of independence, although the voting process itself included abstentions and changes in delegation positions. New York initially abstained because its delegates lacked authorization to vote, and it later joined the decision.
The phrase appears on the carefully handwritten parchment copy associated with the signers. It is distinct from the earlier printed broadsides, which circulated the text before the engrossed version was prepared. This difference is one reason historians distinguish between the Declaration’s adoption, publication, and signing.