Which two Declaration of Independence signers later became U.S. presidents?

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the only two Declaration of Independence signers who later became U.S. presidents.

Jefferson was the Declaration’s principal drafter and became the third president of the United States. Adams served on the drafting committee, became the first vice president, and then became the nation’s second president.

Their connection continued long after 1776. Jefferson and Adams both died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after Congress adopted the Declaration. That coincidence made the anniversary especially memorable and helped strengthen the holiday’s symbolic importance.

George Washington is often associated with the founding era and the presidency, but he did not sign the Declaration because he was serving as commander of the Continental Army. Benjamin Franklin signed the document but never became president. These distinctions make the pair of Jefferson and Adams unique.