John Hancock’s famous oversized signature appears first on the Declaration of Independence.
Hancock was president of the Continental Congress when the Declaration was adopted. His position explains why his name appears separately above the signatures grouped by colony or state. The large, flamboyant handwriting made the signature especially memorable.
The phrase “John Hancock” later became an informal American expression for a person’s signature. Hancock’s name is therefore connected not only with the founding document but also with everyday language.
The Declaration ultimately carried 56 signatures. Most historians believe the main signing ceremony took place on August 2, 1776, although the document had been adopted nearly a month earlier. Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the draft, but he did not provide the first signature.