See the Declaration—known as the Matlack Declaration—displayed at the National Archives

The original copy of the Declaration of Independence is not a pristine document, and even features a smudged anonymous handprint in the bottom left corner.

Meet the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence—most of whom didn't put pen to paper until August 2, 1776—and see their original signatures.

See a timeline of the Declaration's creation

This National Archives timeline walks through the Declaration’s creation step by step—from early calls for independence to drafting, approval, and final signatures—highlighting the key moments that led to the Colonies’ break from Britain.

Years of handling, copying, and light exposure have caused heavy deterioration of the original Declaration of Independence

Handwritten in gallnut ink and signed in August 1776, the Declaration endured rough handling, repeated copy attempts, and decades of exposure to air and light—leaving it heavily faded and even marked by a mysterious handprint that appeared in the early 20th century.

See how the Declaration evolved from draft to final text

John Adams urged Congress to choose Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration because of his literary skill and low-profile reputation. Read Jefferson’s initial draft, which included passages later removed, including a forceful denunciation of slavery.

Meet the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and see their original signatures

This online exhibit from the Daughters of the American Revolution presents a visual slideshow of all 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, pairing portraits and biographies with photographs of their handwritten signatures.

Ben Franklin’s edit helped define the Declaration’s philosophy

When Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration, he wrote that its truths were “sacred and undeniable.” Benjamin Franklin urged replacing that phrase with “self-evident,” grounding the document in reason rather than religious authority and sharpening its Enlightenment logic.

The Constitution was written in the same building where the Declaration of Independence was signed

The US Constitution was drafted in the Pennsylvania State House—the same building in Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Read this page from the National Constitution Center for other fast facts about the document.

America’s founding documents were once housed in other government buildings

Today, the Constitution and Declaration are displayed at the National Archives. Still, for more than a century, they were kept by other federal institutions—including the State Department and the Library of Congress—before gaining a permanent home in the 1930s.

See 10 of the artifacts on display at the Smithsonian's America at 250 exhibition

From Thomas Jefferson's portable writing desk to a first-generation iPod, the National Museum of American History is showcasing 250 objects across all three floors to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Stamp Act Congress made 'no taxation without representation' into a constitutional argument

The 1765 gathering of 27 delegates from nine colonies at New York's Federal Hall produced the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which asserted that colonists could only be taxed by their own elected representatives. The document codified the principle that would define the road to revolution.

The Declaration was a calculated appeal for foreign allies

This article argues that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t just a statement of separation from Britain. It was a strategic message aimed at France and Spain, designed to secure military support against the far stronger British Empire.

The namesake of gerrymandering was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence

Elbridge Gerry, a Massachusetts statesman and vice president under James Madison, signed the Declaration of Independence. He is also the only signer buried in Washington, DC, interred at Congressional Cemetery.

At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Madison changed the draft language from Congress's power to "make" war to "declare" war

The change was deliberate: "make" war seemed to leave the president unable to defend the country against sudden attack, while "declare" preserved that defensive authority. The distinction between starting a war and responding to one has been debated ever since.

Madison's meticulous notes of the Constitutional Convention are the most thorough record of the event

During the Constitutional Convention, James Madison took detailed daily notes of the debates, speeches, and votes. His Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention is the most comprehensive and authoritative account of the convention, shaping historians' understanding of the Constitution's origins.

The Seneca Falls Declaration was modeled on the Declaration of Independence

At the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention—the first women’s rights convention in US history—Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted the Declaration of Sentiments, consciously modeled on the Declaration of Independence, to argue that women were denied fundamental rights and justified in demanding legal and political equality.

What "National Treasure" got right—and wrong—about the Declaration

The 2004 film "National Treasure" imagines a secret map hidden on the Declaration of Independence. This article breaks down which plot points reflect real history—and where Hollywood took liberties with the document, its preservation, and the people it portrays.

Virginia's Declaration of Rights was a main inspiration for Madison's Bill of Rights

James Madison drew on Virginia's Declaration of Rights, written in 1776. The document affirmed freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and jury trials, and placed limits on government power—core protections that later appeared in the Bill of Rights.

Martin Luther King Jr. invoked the Declaration to demand equality

This article examines how Martin Luther King Jr. drew on the language and ideals of the Declaration of Independence to frame the Civil Rights Movement as a continuation of the nation’s founding promises.

Trace how the Bill of Rights, inspired by centuries of political theory, took shape between 1774 and 1789.

Was the Gettysburg Address written on the back of an envelope?

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, wrote his famed Gettysburg Address on a train car. Actually, he had a version of it ready a few days before. Well, really, he came up with it on the spot. Rumors about the speech's creation abound. This 1909 article walks readers through evidence Lincoln's speech was carefully planned and written in Washington, DC (in pencil).

Thomas Jefferson delivered his 1801 State of the Union address in writing

In 1801, President Jefferson ended in-person State of the Union addresses, feeling they were too monarchial, and sent written messages instead—a practice that lasted until 1913. His first message was written and sent via his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, who later led the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Americans celebrated the end of the Revolutionary War with nationwide toasts

In 1783, citizens celebrated the signing of the Preliminary Articles of Peace with nationwide parties. Across the new country, many made 13 toasts to the 13 states. They also drank to George Washington. One poet in Boston wrote, “Health to his honor I’d freely drink, Had I a glass of wine; And whosoever with me shall think, May mix their toast with mine.”

Emanuel Leutze's painting 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' is one of the defining images of the Revolutionary War

The scene depicts George Washington leading Continental forces across the icy Delaware River on Christmas Day, 1776, enabling a surprise attack on British-paid mercenary troops at Trenton. This risky maneuver revived the revolution after months of defeat.

One of Hamilton's first published works was an anonymous pamphlet

While on a scholarship at King's College, Alexander Hamilton anonymously published a series of political pamphlets defending the Continental Congress, engaging in a sustained, sharply argued back-and-forth with loyalist writer Samuel Seabury that drew wide attention.

Watch the historic treaty signing that established NATO in 1949

NATO was created with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949, in Washington, DC. The clip embedded in the webpage includes a newsreel with an excerpt from US President Harry Truman’s speech celebrating the historic day.

George Washington set the template for the presidency

As the first US president, George Washington established key traditions still followed today—forming a Cabinet, serving only two terms, asserting executive independence, and peacefully transferring power—helping define how the presidency would function.

James Hemings, Jefferson's cook, popularized mac and cheese in the US

The statesman sent Hemings to France to sharpen his culinary skills where he picked up recipes of baked pasta with cheese and butter. The recipe Hemings likely dictated to Jefferson was later used in an 1802 White House dinner, the first major public dinner in the US to include the dish.

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

The rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson centered on federalism—the question of how much power the federal government should hold relative to the states.

The idea for the Federal Reserve was conceived in secret in 1910—with bankers donning duck hunt gear for disguise while traveling to a remote country club on Georgia's Jekyll Island

'Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,' a work by American painter Thomas Moran, inspired Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park.

Abraham Lincoln was almost assassinated weeks before his inauguration as he traveled from Illinois to DC through Baltimore in 1861; it took two independent claims for Lincoln to be convinced the threat was real

Many legends about George Washington, including his supposed wooden teeth and the story of cutting down the cherry tree, lack evidence.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

Mark Twain spent decades feuding with the US Postal Service, convinced its costs and regulations were bureaucratic overreach.

Before writing 'Walden,' transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau nearly burned down his hometown with a campfire that grew out of control.

The identity of the Tank Man in the iconic photo from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests remains unknown and was possibly killed.

Jimmy Carter signed a 1978 bill that legalized home brewing, a move credited with kick-starting the craft beer industry.

During the French Revolution, a botanist's letter asking about "dear Rhus" (poison ivy) was intercepted, leading authorities to suspect he was conspiring with the Russians.

Tattoos remain visible on your skin thanks to immune cells called macrophages

American dance legend Martha Graham, sometimes called 'the Picasso of dance,' refused to perform at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and conceived the piece 'Chronicle' in response to the experience.

Against his wishes, Albert Einstein's brain was removed before his cremation, and the pathologist responsible stored it for decades in mason jars within a beer cooler.

English mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer algorithm a century before computers existed and hypothesized that computing devices would one day be able to compose music—foreseeing the generative AI systems of today.

Legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the SC Johnson headquarters in Wisconsin, aiming to make a cathedral-like workplace

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

In 2025, four executives from large tech companies were given positions in the US Army Reserves—including Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, which reinforced Palantir's ties with the US military and its role as a leading defense partner.

A small portion of The Winstons' 'Amen, Brother,' an obscure '60s gospel record, is the basis for thousands of hip-hop tracks, making it one of the most sampled records ever that's informally known as 'the Amen break.'

Explore a list of the 100 best novels of all time, compiled by some of the world's best living writers, including Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, and Jennifer Egan.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.