A total of 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. Most of these signers voted in favor of independence on July 2, 1776, although some who voted for independence did not sign, and some signers were not delegates at the time of the vote
. The signing primarily took place on August 2, 1776, nearly a month after the Declaration was adopted on July 4. Fifty men signed on August 2, while the remaining six signed over the following year and a half
. The signers represented the thirteen colonies, and their names are grouped by state on the document, with John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signing first and most famously
. In summary:
- Number of signers: 56 delegates
- Main signing date: August 2, 1776
- Some signed later up to about 1777
- Signers included future presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
- John Hancock’s signature is the most prominent and iconic
This group of 56 men are considered the Founding Fathers who pledged "our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" in declaring American independence
