8 Surprising and Entertaining Facts About the Declaration of Independence You Never Knew!

1. No Bounty on Hancock's Head

Known more for his audacious autograph than his clandestine conquests, John Hancock didn't actually have a "price on his head" as legendary lore would have you believe: Rather, there's no evidence that the British placed a bounty on his noggin, and his infamously large signature was most likely a display of pride and defiance for future generations, rather than a taunt to King George III.
Source => prologue.blogs.archives.gov

2. Jefferson's Cut Verse

Thomas Jefferson, the Beyoncé of his time, had some undeniable songwriting skills but found himself a tad irked when his backup singers (a.k.a Congress) went all "I don't think you're ready for this jelly" on his Declaration of Independence hit: Specifically, they cut out Tommy J's scathing verse about British involvement in the slave trade, leaving the final version less contentious but still packed with punchy lines about the right to rebel, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.
Source => loc.gov

Did you know that Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison secretly joined forces as "Publius" to write 85 essays promoting the U.S. Constitution? Discover how these founding fathers went viral in a pre-social media world! 📜✒️🇺🇸

=> Fun Facts about The-Constitution

3. July 4th Signing Myth

Cue the fireworks and pass the barbecue sauce, but hold on a moment for a history lesson: The Declaration of Independence wasn't actually signed on July 4th, 1776—instead, that was the day independence was adopted, while the signing only began on August 2nd, with John Hancock making his mark first, and the entire process took a few weeks for the 56 signatures to be penned, with five notable drafters never even signing the parchment.
Source => archives.gov

4. Declaration Snippet to the Moon

Houston, we have a parchment: As Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin touched down on the moon with Apollo 11, they also toted along a small parchment paper with a segment of the Declaration of Independence. This one-inch-square snippet remained securely in Aldrin's personal preference kit, a testament to the stars and stripes while the astronauts explored new celestial frontiers.
Source => orlandosentinel.com

5. Franklin's Sassy Currency

Before Ben Franklin dabbled in lightning and kites, he was busy dolling out some sass on cash: Franklin once used the snarky motto "Mind Your Business" on Pennsylvania currency. The hilarious prelude: This cheeky sentiment paved the way for the more unifying motto, "E Pluribus Unum", which was later incorporated into the final design of the Great Seal of the United States.
Source => archives.gov

6. No Party for the Declaration

"Where's the Party At?": Turns out, celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence wasn't all beer and fireworks. In reality, the signing spanned several weeks, commencing only on August 2nd, after a thorough revision process, and there's nary a mention of a keg being rolled out for the occasion.
Source => archives.gov

7. Not Written on Hemp

Hold onto your hemp hats, history buffs: Turns out, the Declaration of Independence was not written on hemp paper! Paper experts at the Library of Congress concluded that Thomas Jefferson's "Rough Draft" was likely written on Dutch-made paper from flax or linen rags, and the final parchment signed by the Continental Congress? That's good old-fashioned animal skin.
Source => monticello.org

8. Founding Superheroes

Step aside, Avengers, for the ultimate Founding Fathers assemble: This superhero squad boasts not one, not two, but three future U.S. presidents within the Declaration of Independence drafting committee – meet Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison. And that's not all; they've even teamed up with the legendary Benjamin Franklin, statesman, writer, and inventor extraordinaire: Quite a star-studded cast it was that penned that ground-breaking, freedom-defining document!
Source => archives.gov