My Diary of the 56 Signers: The Declaration of Independence

At the end of the French and Indian war, England was in debt. The English Parliament levied taxes against the Colonies, through the Townsend Acts, the Stamp act, and other taxes. During this time, there were 13 colonial settlements and there was much debate on how England should govern them. The 13 Colonies had no representation in Parliament to voice their opinion about the taxes. The Colonies revolted. A committee was formed at the urging of John Adams to draft a declaration of freedom from Great Britain. There were many issues to discuss including whether to abolish slavery in the Colonies. The Declaration of Independence was introduced for a vote in Congress, ratified on July 2, 1776 and the final text was approved on July 4, 1776 with the signature of John Hancock. There were 56 signers and most of them signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776 and others signed even later. For each of the signors, this was an act of treason against the King. Benjamin Franklin was quoted as saying “We must all hang together, gentlemen, or else we shall most assuredly hang separately.” So who were the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence? Most people can name some of the Signers, but few people can name all 56. By researching their lives, you can learn cool and interesting facts about each of these men who played important roles in the freedoms we all celebrate today. The Diary only tells a small part of their stories. As you turn the pages of this Diary, the authors hope that you will do your research and record what you find to be cool and interesting about the lives, actions, and historical contexts of the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence.