![]() This happened in 1783 in Paris, where delegates from both sides met to discuss terms and finally put pen to paper. The Treaty of Paris 1783įor the United States to fully gain its independence, Great Britain had to sign that it acknowledged this status and then end the war. The country would continue to fight the American Revolutionary War against the British to make independence a reality. The formal signing reinforced the importance of the document and the nation’s intentions moving forward. This engrossed copy is the most important version and the one on display at the National Archives. The members of Congress then signed this on August 2nd. This took a while to complete, but soon enough, there was a parchment copy with attractive, legible handwriting and space for all the necessary signatures. So, on July 19th, 1776, Congress ordered an assistant of a representative to handwrite the official engrossed version of the declaration. There had to be something more decorative and appropriate for Congress to sign. However, they weren’t suitable for an official copy of the declaration. Some of these copies remain and are treasured. The creation of the Dunlap Broadsides was necessary for the war effort as it allowed for significant public declarations such as Washington’s recital. Engrossing and Signing the Official Declaration of Independence This led to General George Washington reading the Declaration of Independence to his troops in New York, in front of the British, on July 9th. After formally adopting the document, Congress commissioned a series of printed versions to be sent out to government buildings and the troops on the front line. Yet, some, such as John Adams, believed the date of the declaration rather than official adoption was the better choice.Įither way, this three-day period in Congress was a game-changer for the war and the nation’s prospects. July 4th has always been Independence Day, ever since the first celebrations in 1777. However, there was a more symbolic moment of declaration two days prior on July 2nd as the British arrived in New York.Īt the time, this broader timeline led to some conflicting opinions over the likely date of a national celebration. This meant that they could move forward in pushing for independence and gaining concessions from the British. The infamous date of July 4th relates to when the revised declaration was made official and adopted by Congress. The date that the finished Declaration of Independence was adopted and the date that independence was declared are not the same. Eventually, with edits from the other four committee members – including Benjamin Franklin and John Adams – they had a “fair copy” ready by June 27th. He wrote a draft based on the Virginian Constitution and the works of his favorite philosophers. This began on June 11th, and, over the month, Jefferson would end up being persuaded to take on the bulk of the work. Congress brought together a committee of intelligent representatives of different states to work on the text of the declaration. The original draft was mainly the work of Thomas Jefferson. The editing process was necessary because those important representatives could make sure that the sentiments and language were appropriate for such a significant declaration. This was the version that the Founding Fathers were satisfied with after a series of revisions. ![]() ![]() July 4th, 1776, is when Congress adopted the finished draft of the Declaration of Independence. It would take a long war and a major international treaty for that to happen. ![]() What’s more, the adoption of the Declaration of Independence does not equate to the nation gaining independence. It took time for the document to be drafted and signed. There is a lengthy timeline of events from the first idea of drafting and making a Declaration of Independence to the moment it was adopted. The phrasing of the question is important as it says adopted, not declared.
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