John Dunlap produced the first widely distributed broadsides of the Declaration of Independence.
Dunlap was a Philadelphia printer who worked for the Pennsylvania Packet. After Congress approved the Declaration’s wording on July 4, 1776, he printed approximately 200 broadside copies, now known as the Dunlap broadsides.
These sheets were sent to colonial governments, military leaders, and other recipients so the announcement could circulate quickly. George Washington received copies for his troops, with instructions that the document be read aloud.
The Dunlap broadside is not the same as the formal engrossed parchment copy signed by delegates. It was a printed version produced for rapid distribution, while the engrossed copy was handwritten and later signed. Only a limited number of the original broadsides survive today.