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Massachusetts State Seal
Commonwealth Museum   Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin
Commonwealth Museum Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin

Declarations of Independence "Put your John Hancock on that"

Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776. The text of the Declaration was sent to a printer, John Dunlop. The “Dunlop Broadsides” were the first published versions of the text. On July 4, delegates approved the text. On August 2, 1776 they began to sign the hand-written version now on display at the National Archives. Hancock famously signed first with bold letters. Whether he actually said “King George III can read it without his spectacles” is in doubt.

Painting by John Trumbull depicting the committee of five presenting their work to John Hancock.
Painting by John Trumbull depicting the committee of five presenting their work to John Hancock who was President of the Second Continental Congress. (United States Capitol)
Another version revealing the names of the signers for the first time.
In January 1777, Mary Katherine Goddard printed another version revealing the names of the signers for the first time. Hancock did not sign copies for each state, but he did for his home state of Massachusetts. (Commonwealth Museum)