Congress actually voted to approve independence on July 2, 1776, leading many Founders to believe that would be the date Americans would one day celebrate.

Since 1776, the Declaration of Independence has served as a model for more than 100 nations and freedom organizations writing their own declarations.

The Declaration of Independence was not only a statement of principles but also an appeal for military allies that the struggling colonists needed to survive.

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.

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.

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.

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.

See the documents that shaped the Declaration before it was written

This Library of Congress collection comprises early arguments for Colonial rights, protests against British authority, draft constitutions, and multiple working drafts of the Declaration of Independence. It traces the ideas and language that preceded the final document adopted in 1776.

Three of America's first five presidents—Jefferson, Adams, and Monroe—died on July 4.

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.

The first newspaper to report the Declaration of Independence was a German-language Philadelphia publication, simply because it was the only one that published on July 5.

A letter drafted by a Boston town committee in 1772 helped unite the colonies behind independence.

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.”

July Fourth wasn't always a holiday, and its meaning has changed over time

This podcast explores how July Fourth evolved from an ordinary day into a national holiday, tracing its radical origins, the shifting interpretations of the Declaration, and how later generations claimed its language of liberty and equality.

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.

This piece traces the Declaration's 200-year journey from its creation in 1776 through repeated relocations, risky copying methods, light damage, fires, wartime evacuation, and shifting federal custody—long before modern archival protections existed.

What the Declaration actually says and how to see it

This official page from the National Archives breaks down the Declaration of Independence in plain English, explaining its purpose, key ideas, and grievances against King George III. It also shows how the document was created and where it’s displayed today.

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.

The Declaration of Independence became a global blueprint for freedom

This resource traces how the Declaration's language of liberty resonated through more than 100 independence movements worldwide, demonstrating how a single revolutionary text helped redefine notions of self-rule, rights, and legitimacy across centuries.

Delegates at the First Continental Congress affirmed loyalty to Britain while protesting

Delegates met in Philadelphia in 1774 to debate how to respond to British acts clamping down on trade and increasing taxes. The result of the congress was to call for the formation of colonial militias and to embargo British goods. Delegates also adopted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, though there was broad disagreement about how to respond to Britain’s policies.

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 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 2004 blockbuster National Treasure takes some liberties with history—discover what the movie gets wrong and right about the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution.

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.

The Stamp Act of 1765 was a key stepping stone toward the American Revolution, igniting colonial resistance to British taxation.

The reaction to the first direct tax on colonists prompted the second-ever colonial congress and a broad boycott of British goods. It also gave birth to the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, the congress's document articulating the "no taxation without representation" stance. The act's passage was a major stepping stone to revolution.

The National Archives protects billions of historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

This "60 Minutes" segment takes viewers behind the scenes at the National Archives, showcasing how experts use conservation science, security, and technology to preserve cornerstone records—such as the original Declaration of Independence—for future generations.

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 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.

Celebrations for America's 150th birthday in 1926 were a poorly organized mess that nearly bankrupted the host city of Philadelphia.

Opposition to British taxes, regulation of trade was key to American independence

The economic situation in the colonies formed the backbone of the central events of the Revolution. British war debts caused it to lay the first direct taxes on colonists, cease their westward expansion claims, and adhere to stringent trade regulations, leading to backlash and eventual separation.

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

The iconic handwritten Declaration displayed at the National Archives was penned by Thomas Matlack, the Continental Congress’s assistant secretary. He was chosen for his exceptional handwriting to prepare the formal copy signed by the delegates.

Hear about the Enlightenment origins of the Declaration's ideas

This podcast examines the Enlightenment thinkers and earlier political texts that influenced the Declaration, demonstrating how Jefferson built upon existing ideas rather than inventing them wholesale.

Read the resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress

Adopted October 19, 1765, the resolutions argued that taxation without colonial consent violated the British constitution, that admiralty courts without juries subverted English liberties, and that paying the tax in hard currency was practically impossible. Each grievance was framed not as rebellion but as a defense of rights the colonists already believed they possessed.

The 1783 peace treaty with Britain formally ended the Revolutionary War and nearly doubled the size of the United States.

New York was a hotbed of early revolutionary activity

In the decade before independence, New York City saw Stamp Act riots, liberty pole confrontations, the 1770 Battle of Golden Hill, and defiance of the Quartering Act, and organized efforts to block and destroy taxed British tea.

The 1787 Constitutional Convention was initially called to amend the Articles of Confederation

Delegates initially met in 1787 to amend the Articles of Confederation, but within weeks chose to redesign the government entirely. Months of intense debate over power and representation produced the compromises that shaped the Constitution.

Bill of Rights Day is commemorated annually in the United States on Dec. 15

The date marks the 1791 ratification of the first 10 amendments. President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially established Bill of Rights Day in 1941, on the document's 150th anniversary. Hear the speech he gave on that day.

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.

The Declaration was also a list of grievances

This article breaks down the Declaration’s 27 grievances against King George III, illustrating how they were intended not only to express colonial anger but also to justify rebellion and garner support abroad.

George Washington was a fan of barbecue

The first US president celebrated laying the cornerstone of the US Capitol by hosting a barbecue, the centerpiece of which was a 500-pound ox. By the 19th century, barbecue was a standard component of public celebrations, including Independence Day and Memorial Day.

Many of the founding fathers were deists—believers in a God of reason

A uniquely American iteration of the Enlightenment movement thrived during the Revolution. This selection from a longer write-up on the American Enlightenment highlights six core ideas: deism, liberalism, republicanism, conservatism, toleration, and scientific progress.

The American colonies recognized New Year’s Eve in March until 1752

England followed the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar, which had an inaccurate method of calculating leap years. Because of that, New Year’s Day eventually slipped into the spring and was linked with the Christian festival of the Annunciation, which was on March 25. That date carried over to the American colonies, which didn’t change the first day of the new year until 1752, after England adopted the newer Gregorian calendar.

Some colonies were centuries-old before they broke from Britain

The revolution did not happen overnight, but was a culmination of centuries of settlement, policies, and war in North America. This timeline provides key, fascinating events from the 1600s through the Revolution in a smooth, easy-to-read interface.

The oldest restaurants in the US

This list features several establishments that have been around since before the Declaration of Independence, including the White Horse Tavern, in Newport, Rhode Island, and New York's Fraunces Tavern, where George Washington dismissed his troops at the end of the Revolutionary War.

The National Mall hosts one of the country's largest July Fourth fireworks shows

Each Independence Day, the National Mall hosts a massive fireworks display coordinated by the National Park Service, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the nation's capital.

George Washington's birthday was a federal holiday until it was moved to the third Monday in February in 1968

Washington's February 22 birthday became a federal holiday in 1879. A 1968 law moved it to the third Monday in February, and decades of advertising popularized the unofficial name "Presidents' Day," which the federal government never formally adopted.

The causes of American rebellion were multifaceted

British taxes on colonists to pay for the French and Indian War were just one element. Thousands of miles of separation between London and the Colonies, expanding territories, a distinct Colonial identity, and political conflicts combined to prompt the Revolution.

Shays' rebellion pitted rebel veterans against the Revolution's leaders

The Revolutionary War led to independence and significant debt for most states. In 1786, a group of veterans and farmers from western Massachusetts protested against the state government’s increased taxes. Led by Daniel Shays, the group attempted to capture an armory in Springfield but failed.

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

After the Boston Tea Party (1773), colonists boycotted tea and turned to coffee, with coffeehouses becoming hubs for revolutionary discussions. The stimulating import from the Caribbean helped shape the nascent American taste.

Juneteenth celebrates the day that the last enslaved people were notified of the Emancipation Proclamation, 2 years after it was signed.

The origins and growth of the Juneteenth holiday

The American holiday of Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of African American slaves, a process which unfolded over the four years of the Civil War and several months afterward. June 19 took on special significance as the day Union officials proclaimed slaves free in Texas in 1865, the last holdout after the Civil War ended. Roughly 4 million people were freed from slavery as a result of emancipation. Read this brief article summarizing the holiday's development.

All the ways colonists protested the absurd breadth of the Stamp Act

Philadelphia publisher William Bradford replaced his paper's required revenue stamp with a skull and crossbones. It read: "O! the fatal Stamp," and staged elaborate mock funerals for liberty, a comic protest trend that spread across the colonies until the act's repeal in 1766.

At age 22, Washington inadvertently started the French and Indian War

In 1754, while leading a small Virginia militia force in the Ohio Valley, Washington's troops ambushed a French scouting party. The clash heightened tensions between Britain and France and sparked a broader conflict that soon spread across North America, Europe, and parts of Africa and Asia.

Explore fun facts about Father's Day, including its status as the fourth-largest card-sending holiday in the United States.

The Civil War turned the Continental Divide into an American symbol of identity

Historians argue that the boundary only became a celebrated American symbol in the 1860s, when Civil War-era leaders promoted a west-east geographic divide to replace the devastating north-south political divide, and that the term's use spiked after the transcontinental railroad crossed it in 1868.