John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence first on the engrossed copy celebrated by America250. As president of the Continental Congress, Hancock’s name appears prominently beneath the document’s text.
The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776, but most delegates signed the parchment engrossed copy on August 2. Some delegates signed later, and the precise timing of individual signatures remains part of the document’s complicated history.
Hancock’s signature became famous for its unusually large, flowing style. The popular story says he wanted King George III to read it without spectacles, but that explanation is a later anecdote rather than a documented reason for its size.
Hancock was a wealthy Massachusetts merchant and an important revolutionary leader. He served as president of the Continental Congress during the Declaration’s adoption, which explains why his signature is separated from the state-by-state arrangement used for most other signers.