Introduction

The Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, serves as America’s birth certificate and one of the most important documents in human history. It announced the separation of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain and stated the key principles on which the new nation would be founded.

As Thomas Jefferson wrote in its famous preamble:

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

These words justified the colonies’ break from tyranny and expressed a vision of government that is delegated its just powers by the consent of the governed. This was a groundbreaking idea based on the recognition of God-given rights.

The fifty-six signers of the Declaration pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to this cause.

Some History

Growing tensions between the American colonies and Britain led to the push for independence. Oppressive taxes, the Intolerable Acts, and limits on colonial freedoms fueled anger. In January 1776, Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense inspired many colonists to support breaking away from Britain.¹

On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed a resolution in the Continental Congress, stating that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”² Congress then chose a Committee of Five—Thomas Jefferson (the primary author), John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston—to write a formal declaration.³

After intense debate and revisions (including the removal of a passage condemning the slave trade to secure unity⁴), Congress adopted the document. John Dunlap printed broadsides that night, spreading the news across the colonies.⁵

John Adams, writing to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776, foresaw the day’s enduring legacy:

The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival… It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.⁶

Although Adams anticipated celebrations on July 2 (the day the independence vote was held), history has adopted July 4 as Independence Day—the day the world was informed why America chose freedom.

The signers knew the risks: by declaring independence, they committed an act of treason against the British Crown, punishable by death. Yet, as Adams reflected, “posterity will triumph in that day’s transaction.”⁷

This hub explores the Declaration’s text, its courageous signers (including original documents and letters from several), and valuable resources for further study.

Timeline

• June 7, 1776       Richard Henry Lee proposes independence.
• June 11, 1776     Committee of Five appointed to draft the Declaration.
• June 28, 1776    Draft presented to Congress.
• July 2, 1776        Congress votes for independence (12 colonies in favor; New York abstains initially).
• July 4, 1776        Declaration adopted and approved.
• August 2, 1776  Most delegates sign the engrossed parchment copy.

The Text of the Declaration

The Declaration of Independence is remarkably concise—containing fewer than 1,400 words—yet it powerfully combines a philosophical defense of liberty with a detailed indictment of King George III’s abuses. The document is structured in four main parts:

• The Preamble: States the necessity of explaining separation and introduces the famous self-evident truths.
• A Statement of Rights and Principles: Outlines the purpose of government and the people’s right to alter or abolish it when it becomes destructive.
• The List of Grievances: Presents 27 specific charges against the King.
• The Resolution of Independence: Formally declares the colonies free and independent states.

These primary sources allow you to read the Declaration exactly as the Founders wrote, edited, and presented it to the world.

Signers of the Declaration

The fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence were not mythical figures—they were husbands, fathers, merchants, lawyers, farmers, and ministers who knowingly risked everything for the cause of liberty. By affixing their names to the document, they committed an act of treason against the British Crown, fully aware that failure could mean ruin or death. Yet they declared, in the document’s closing words, that “for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Many of these signers paid a heavy personal price: homes destroyed, families displaced, fortunes lost, and some imprisoned or hunted by British forces.⁸ Their courage and sacrifice laid the foundation for the nation we enjoy today.

WallBuilders is privileged to preserve and present original letters, documents, and artifacts from several of these brave patriots, offering a rare glimpse into their faith, character, and commitment. Below are highlighted resources featuring some of the signers and their stories.

Additional Helpful Resources

Explore the Declaration of Independence further through these trusted primary sources and educational tools. These resources provide everything from original manuscripts and images to classroom-ready materials, helping readers of all ages deepen their understanding of America’s founding document and the courageous men who signed it.

Endnotes

¹ Thomas Paine, Common Sense: Addressed to the Inhabitants of America (Philadelphia: 1776).
² Richard Henry Lee’s handwritten resolution from the National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/lee-resolution. See also, June 7, 1776, Journals of the American Congress: From 1774 to 1788 (Washington: Way and Gideon, 1823), 1:368.
³ June 11, 1776, Journals of the American Congress (1823), I:369.
⁴ “Thomas Jefferson, June 1776, Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence,” Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/mtjx.mtjbib000156/?st=gallery.
⁵ “Dunlap Broadside [Declaration of Independence],” July 4, 1776, National Archives, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/301682.
⁶ John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776, Massachusetts Historical Society, https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond.
⁷ John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776, Massachusetts Historical Society, https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond.
⁸ “FAQ: Difficulties and Sacrifices of the Declaration Signers,” WallBuilders, https://wallbuilders.com/resource/faq-difficulties-and-sacrifices-of-the-declaration-signers/.