Only a handful signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; they include: Benjamin Franklin, George Read, Roger Sherman, Robert Morris, George Clymer, and James Wilson. John Hancock (1737-1793) • State: Massachusetts Hancock, a Massachusetts native who studied business at Harvard College, was the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence. Brief but detail-rich biographies of all the signers of the Declaration of Independence. While “taxation without representation” was a voiced grievance of the original 13 colonies, there were other dynamics going on. Believe it or not, Christianity was in play here. 54 of 56 Signers Were Christians Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians (54 out of 56). Twenty-seven (27) of them held theology degrees. Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The youngest was William Rutledge of South Carolina, who was only 26. The oldest was Benjamin Franklin, then aged 70. He commented that, "We must hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." Many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were influenced by Deism, a belief that God created the universe but does not intervene in human affairs. Among However, 52 of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were deeply committed Christians. The article claimed the defining characterization of this nation was American humanism, the The Signers of the Declaration of Independence are often pictured as fifty-six men coming together in complete harmony to begin a new country. It is a picture that is both sad and laughable. It is sad because we fail to learn the truth of our nation's founding and instead romanticize it so much that it becomes more of a fantasy than a reality. The signing of the United States Declaration of Independence occurred primarily on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, later to become known as Independence Hall. Signers of the Declaration of Independence Name State Rep. Date of Birth Birthplace Age at Signing Occupation Number of Marriages Number of Children Date of Death Age at Death Adams, John MA 10/30/1735 Quincy, MA 40 Lawyer 1 5 7/4/1826 90 Adams, Samuel MA 9/27/1722 Boston, MA 53 Merchant 2 2 10/2/1803 81 The signers of the Declaration of Independence were "brave people, most of whom, by the way, were clergymen." But everyone agrees only Witherspoon was an active minister when he signed the Some of the signers had not taken a stand for or against independence in the final vote on July 2. For example, Robert Morris of Pennsylvania had purposely absented himself. Others had not yet been elected to Congress or were away on business or military matters. Some were last-minute replacements for opponents of independence. 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. On July 19, 1776, Congress ordered that the Declaration be engrossed on parchment—copied and written into large The Declaration of Independence: About the Signers (Continued) The Signers of the Declaration of Independence All of the colonies were represented in Philadelphia to consider the delicate case for independence and to change the course of the war. In all, there were fifty-six representatives from the thirteen colonies. Fourteen represented Many were delegates to the Continental Congress, a group of leaders The signers of the Declaration of Independence are In all, 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions 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. John Morton (1725-1777) —John Morton was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence to die and was one of nine signers from Pennsylvania. He was elected to the Second Continental Congress from 1774-77, and was the chairman of the committee that reported the Articles of Confederation. All the signatures except six (Wythe, R. H. Lee, Wolcott, Gerry, McKean, and Thornton) were affixed on Aug. 2, 1776. The first is that of John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress. Signers of the Declaration of Independence Download this Information in PDF Format Lewis Morris - New York: A fierce proponent of American independence, Lewis Morris signed the Declaration of Independence reportedly after stating: "Damn the consequences, give me the pen." The statement is a charged one as Morris, heir to a great fortune that included his father’s Westchester County estate, Morrisania, had more to lose than
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