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The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. It was signed July 3rd, 1776, but didn't go into effect until July 4th, 1776. Thus, we celebrate the holiday on the Fourth of July instead of the third. The Declaration of Independence was a document that said the United States of America were now free from British rule.

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13y ago

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This is actually a much harder question than it sounds. The basic answer is that Congress declared independence on July 2, 1776 without final approval of the document and then approved the document on July 4. John Dunlap printed copies of the Declaration for the first time on July 4. The official signing process of the "engrossed" or official copy began on August 2, 1776.

The tricky part is that it took months for all of the signers to reach Philadelphia to sign the document. The country was at war and travel was very difficult. The next problem is that there is no single "official" version of the Declaration. Yes, there is the most famous copy on display at the National Archives, but at least three editions were made official in the following years, each with slight variations in wording. Sam was here

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10y ago
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The United States Declaration of Independence was approved by congress on 04JUL1776 but it was not signed until 02AUG1776.

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12y ago
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Q: When exactly was the Declaration of Independence signed?
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