The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July, 4, 1776. Influenced by Enlightenment ideals of fundamental rights and freedoms, it provided both the foundation and the guiding principles for the new nation. Some of the sons of the signers attained national distinction. John Adams' son John Quincy became President; the son of Benjamin Harrison, William Henry, won the same office, as did also Benjamin's great-grandson with the same name. Other male progeny of the signers served as U.S. Congressmen, Governors, and State legislators. John Hancock, Jr. was a colonial American clergyman and father of politician John Hancock, who signed the Declaration of Independence. Hancock graduated from Harvard College in 1719 and served as librarian there from 1723-1726. In honor of July 4th we set out to find actual descendants of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. Our goal was to reveal the truth of their lineage in a beautiful and uplifting way—and inspire a sense of pride in who we are as a nation. Information obtained from: American Council of Learned Societies. American National Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume 1607-1896. Chicago: The A.N. Marquis Company, 1963. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. Despite being widely linked to July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was not signed on that day. The New York legislature then gave authorization to support a vote of independence and Lewis, and the other delegates, signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. The Declaration of Independence stands as the original founding document of the United States, boldly proclaiming the nation's separation from Great Britain and igniting a revolution that would reshape history. For both sides, trying the case required a great deal of delicacy and diplomacy. The trial pitted against one another two future Signers of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams, and Robert Treat Paine. Adams led the defense team for the British soldiers despite his belief that war was inevitable. Born on April 13, 1743, near present-day Charlottesville, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was the primary drafter of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States. The Declaration of Independence Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free. He signed the Declaration of Independence as "Charles Carroll of Carrollton," a form of his name that he used to distinguish himself from a number of other Maryland Charles Carrolls. He was The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. Brief but detail-rich biographies of all the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He described the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as "these fragile objects which bear so great a weight of meaning to our people." The story of the Declaration of Independence as a document can only be a part of the larger history, a history still unfolding, a "weight of meaning" constantly, challenged, strengthened, and redefined. He signed the Declaration of Independence alongside fellow Virginia delegates: Thomas Jefferson, George Wythe, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Carter Braxton, and Benjamin Harrison. Nelson also served as a soldier during the American Revolutionary War. Thomas Nelson Jr. was the grandson of an early pioneer who settled in Yorktown. The Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America in the original printing, is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the Second Continental Congress, who convened at Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in the colonial capital of Philadelphia. These delegates Signers of the Declaration of Independence Download this Information in PDF Format The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. One of the closest of Thomas Edison's famous kin is a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Robert Treat Paine. Thomas Edison also has a kinship to the Roosevelt family including Eleanor Roosevelt, both Presidents Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, and Theodore's wife Edith (Carow) Roosevelt.
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