The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress, representing the Thirteen Colonies. The signing mainly took place on August 2, 1776, although the Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776. John Hancock, as President of the Continental Congress, was the first to sign the document with a large, bold signature
. The signers included notable figures such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others from each colony. The signers are generally grouped by state, arranged geographically from south to north. For example:
- Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
- South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward Jr., Thomas Lynch Jr., Arthur Middleton
- Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
- Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
- Massachusetts: Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
- New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Other colonies had their respective delegates sign as well, totaling 56 individuals
. Some signers were not present on August 2 and added their signatures later. Not all delegates to the Congress signed the Declaration, and some signers were not delegates at the time of the vote for independence
. In summary, the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates from the Thirteen Colonies, with John Hancock as the first signer, and included many prominent leaders who would shape the future United States
