Signers of the Declaration of Independence, from oldest to youngest, based on their age in 1776 Information obtained from: American Council of Learned Societies. American National Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume 1607-1896. Chicago: The A.N. Marquis Company, 1963. Back to The Signer's Gallery He signed the Declaration of Independence, along with fellow North Carolinians Joseph Hewes and John Penn. Due to his involvement with the new government in North Carolina, Hooper missed the vote approving the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July, 1776. See below the signers of the Declaration of Independence organized by state, with a link to the biographies of each individual. The signers of the Declaration represented a cross-section of colonial society united by their willingness to risk everything for independence. On August 2, 1776, members of the Second Continental Congress, including John Hancock, the President of the Congress, began signing the engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. There would eventually be 56 signers of the document. Many of their portraits are in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. The story of the Declaration of Independence began in earnest on May 10, 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted a resolution drafted by John Adams and moved by him and Richard Henry Lee to urge each of the colonies in rebellion to constitute new governments. Five days later, on May 15, the Fifth Virginia Convention, meeting in Williamsburg, agreed to instruct their delegates in Congress On July 4 the United States celebrates Independence Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. In July 1776, the Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to British rule under King George III and were now free, independent states. In celebration of the holiday, we take a look at a few of the 56 signers of the The signing of the United States Declaration of Independence occurred primarily on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia. 56 delegates to the Continental Congress signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence. Most of the signers voted in favor of independence on July 2nd. Some delegates who voted for independence did not sign the Declaration, and some signers were not delegates to Congress at the time of the vote. Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original. Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The youngest was William Rutledge of South Carolina, who was only 26. The oldest was Benjamin Franklin, then aged 70. He commented that, "We must hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." John Hancock was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his bold signature has become a symbol of American freedom. He was a wealthy merchant from Massachusetts who was also a member of the Continental Congress and served as its president. John Hancock (1737-1793) • State: Massachusetts Hancock, a Massachusetts native who studied business at Harvard College, was the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence. When was Declaration of Independence signed? Explore dates, who wrote it, where and when it was signed, its role in American independence. Samuel Huntington (July 16, 1731 – January 5, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States and a lawyer, jurist, statesman, and Patriot in the American Revolution from Connecticut. [1] As a delegate to the Continental Congress, he signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He also served as President of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1781, President Born on April 13, 1743, near present-day Charlottesville, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was the primary drafter of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States. The signers of the Declaration of Independence are characterized here, and we have also listed each person below in alphabetical order, followed by their age at the time the Declaration was signed. Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a United States Holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Rot Brief but detail-rich biographies of all the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Congress orders the Declaration of Independence engrossed (officially inscribed) and signed by members. The scribe of this official copy of the Declaration was probably Timothy Matlock.
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