when was the declaration of independence signed

The Declaration of Independence was primarily signed on August 2, 1776. While the Continental Congress formally adopted the text on July 4, 1776, most delegates did not sign the official parchment copy until nearly a month later at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia.

Key Dates in the Timeline

• July 2, 1776. The Second Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution declaring independence from Great Britain.
• July 4, 1776. Congress officially adopted the final wording of the Declaration of Independence. Printer John Dunlap produced broadside copies that evening featuring only the printed name of Congress President John Hancock.
• July 19, 1776. After New York’s delegates received authorization to join the vote, Congress ordered the document to be handwritten (“engrossed”) on parchment for all members to sign.
• August 2, 1776. Roughly 50 delegates began signing the engrossed parchment copy in Philadelphia, led by John Hancock.
• Late 1776 – Early 1777. The remaining delegates who were absent in August added their names later, bringing the total to 56 signers according to the National Archives. Thomas McKean was the final delegate to sign, doing so sometime after January 1777.