Signatories of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America (1776)

The Declaration of Independence was the work of a committee of the continental congress (established to co-ordinate opposition to legislation of the British parliament regarding its North American colonies) set up following a resolution proposed by Richard Henry Lee on 7 June 1776. The committee, chaired by Thomas Jefferson, reported on 28 June; it charged George III with acting tyrannically towards his colonies and asserted their independence on the basis of the ‘inherent and inalienable rights’ of free men. Congress approved the declaration on 2 July 1776, and it was printed on 4 July, the day later celebrated as Independence day. It was not however signed until 2 August; some names, including those of Matthew Thornton, Elbridge Gerry, and Thomas McKean, were added later. The names were not publicized until 19 January 1777.

In this list the names of the signatories are arranged by state, as they appeared in the original document; the only name not to be attached to a state is that of John Hancock, who signed as president of the continental congress.