John Hancock signed first on the engrossed Declaration of Independence commemorated during America250.
Hancock was president of the Second Continental Congress when the formal parchment copy was signed. His large, prominent signature appears at the center beneath the document’s title, making it the most recognizable name on the page.
The expression “put your John Hancock” later became an American colloquialism for signing one’s name. That phrase reflects the visual prominence of Hancock’s signature rather than a special legal requirement that he sign more boldly than the other delegates.
The document’s signing history is more nuanced than many popular depictions suggest. Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776, but most delegates signed the engrossed parchment on August 2, with additional signatures added later. John Hancock’s role as congressional president and first signer remains separate from Thomas Jefferson’s role as the principal drafter.