Maybe John Hancock wasn’t being so grandiose after all. Illustration by Slate. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress We hold this truth to be self-evident: John Hancock’s signature on the ...

A new book by historian Emily Sneff records the journeys of the Declaration's first printed copies, tracking their reception in the Thirteen Colonies and overseas ...

The 4th of July is a day to celebrate America’s independence from Britain. Some people celebrate by sharing 4th of July quotes on social media, whereas others brush up on their Independence Day trivia ...

On July 4, 1776, the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. The nation's founding document is fittingly named the Declaration of Independence, and it outlines how the then-13 ...

In 1776, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. Some of them went on to become president. One of their names is basically synonymous with “signature” today. Others have museums, monuments, and ...

It was a document from the second American Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, that proclaimed the independence of 13 colonies from Great Britain. On the bottom, were signatures from 56 men. They ...

Last July 4th, you printed an inspirational essay about what happened to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The writer said five signers were captured by the British as traitors and ...