The Birth of the Declaration of Independence:
On June 7, 1776, at a Congress meeting in Philadelphia, a resolution was put forth by Richard Henry Lee to declare independence. A few days later, on June 11, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R Livingston appointed a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. On June 12-27, Thomas Jefferson, at the request of the committee drafts a declaration, of which only a fragment exists. Jefferson's clean or "fair" copy, the "original rough draft," is reviewed by the committee. On June 28 a fair copy of the committee draft of the Declaration of Independence is read in Congress. From July 1-4 Congress debates and revises the Declaration of Independence. On July 2, Congress declares independence as the British fleet and army arrive at New York. On July 4, Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in the morning of a bright, sunny, but cool Philadelphia day. John Dunlap prints the Declaration of Independence. These prints are now called "Dunlap Broadsides." Twenty-four copies are known to exist, two of which are in the Library of Congress. One of these was Washington's personal copy. On July 5, John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, dispatches the first of Dunlap's broadsides of the Declaration of Independence to the legisatures of New Jersey and Delaware. On July 6 the "Pennsylvania Evening Post" prints the first newspaper rendition. On July 8, the first public reading of the Declaration takes place in Philadelphia. On July 9, Washington orders the Declaration of Independence to be read before the American Army in New York. On July 19 Congress orders the declaration offically inscribed and signed by members. August 2 delegates begin to sign the Declaration of Independence. This signed document is on permanent display at the National Archives.