# FAQs ## expand\_more Open all sections Close all sections ### How many grievances are in the Declaration of Independence? expand\_more A grievance is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the infliction of wrong or hardship on a person". The middle section of the Declaration of Independence lists 27 grievances; most begin with "He has..." and the "He" is King George III. The 13th grievance (which begins, "He has combined with others...") and its nine subdivisions begining with "For..." should be treated as a single unit. Therefore, it is more precise to say that there are 18 grievances in the Declaration. ### How much is my copy of the Declaration of Independence worth? expand\_more We are unable to answer questions about the value of copies of the Declaration of Independence. But, you can use our [Which Version is This, and Why Does it Matter?](/which-version-and-why) resource to help determine the importance of a copy, before going to a rare books and manuscripts dealer or appraiser to inquire about its value. ### How many copies were originally made of the Declaration of Independence? Were they all signed? expand\_more There is only one copy of the engrossed and signed Declaration of Independence, in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. This copy was produced and [signed](/blog/signing) several weeks after the Declaration of Independence was first published. It is estimated that John Dunlap produced 200 copies of his broadside of the Declaration of Independence, the first printing of the text. Of that original number, there are 26 known copies of the Dunlap broadside in the world today. The Dunlap broadside did not include any names besides John Hancock and Secretary Charles Thomson. The first broadside to include the names of the signatories was the [Goddard broadside](/blog/march-goddard), printed in January 1777. To find out more about other copies of the Declaration of Independence, check out our [Which Version is This, and Why Does it Matter?](/which-version-and-why) resource. ### Is there anything on the back of the Declaration of Independence? expand\_more The 2004 movie *[National Treasure](/blog/facts-nationaltreasure)* alleged (among other historically crazy things) that there is a secret map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. There is no map, but there is something on the back of the engrossed and signed parchment. A label at the bottom of the parchment reads, "Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776". This handwritten note gives a real clue into the history of the Declaration of Independence, which spent much of its early existence rolled up with other documents, under the care of Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress. ![Back of the Declaration of Independence](/sites/g/files/omnuum10521/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/declaration/files/declaration_back_large.jpg?itok=gUFydifk) ### Did any of our "Founding Fathers" NOT sign the Declaration of Independence? expand\_more George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison are typically counted as "Founding Fathers", but none of them signed the Declaration of Independence. General George Washington was Commander of the Continental Army, and was defending New York City in July 1776. As instructed by John Hancock, Washington read the Declaration of Independence to the army on July 9th. John Jay was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775-1776 (and would later become its President), but was recalled by his home state in May. He was initially more moderate, a supporter of reconciliation rather than rebellion, but his views became progressively more radical over the course of the American Revolution. Edward Rutledge wrote Jay on June 29th, imploring him to come to Philadelphia for what he anticipated would be a monumental week; he clearly believed Jay would be against the Declaration, telling him, "recollect the manner in which your Colony is at this Time represented." John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson in 1823 that although Jay was absent from the proceedings in Congress, he felt confident that Jay would have signed the Declaration of Independence had he been present. Only 19 years old in the summer of 1776, Alexander Hamilton was with the Continental Army in New York City when the Declaration of Independence was drafted, approved, and signed. In 1776, James Madison was just 25 years old, and a member of the Virginia state legislature. When Madison became a delegate to the Continental Congress four years later, he was the youngest delegate, just 29 years old. His longevity--surviving the 2nd and 3rd presidents, Adams and Jefferson, by a decade--combined with his role as Father of the United States Constitution and as 4th President of the United States, caused people to believe he had inside knowledge of the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence, even though he wasn't there. The best connection he could draw in response was that he was a close friend of Jefferson, and that he was a member of the Virginia legislature when they instructed their delegates to Congress to declare independence. As he wrote to Frederick A. Packard (author of *Life of George Washington*) in 1830, "But not being a member of the Congress of that date, I can have no personal knowledge of what passed on the occasion." Despite having no connection to July 4th, many wished that Madison, who was dying in June 1836, would last until the holiday so he could share the distinction of dying on the same national holiday as Adams and Jefferson. Instead, he died on June 28, 1836, on the 60th anniversary of the Committee of Five presenting their draft of the Declaration to Congress. ### How many of the signers were born in the colony they would represent in Congress? expand\_more 34 of the 56 signers were born in the colony (eventually state) they would later represent in the Continental Congress. 8 signers were born outside of the American Colonies. - Button Gwinnett (GA, born in England) - Francis Lewis (NY, born in Wales) - Robert Morris (PA, born in England) - James Smith (PA, born in Northern Ireland) - George Taylor (PA, born in Ireland) - Matthew Thornton (NH, born in Ireland) - James Wilson (PA, born in Scotland) - John Witherspoon (NJ, born in Scotland) 14 signers were born in other colonies. The most notable is Benjamin Franklin, born in Boston but more known for his connection to Philadelphia. - Josiah Bartlett (NH, born in MA) - William Floyd (NJ, born in NY) - Benjamin Franklin (PA, born in MA) - Lyman Hall (GA, born in CT) - Joseph Hewes (NC, born in NJ) - William Hooper (NC, born in MA) - Francis Hopkinson (NJ, born in PA) - Thomas McKean (DE, born in PA) - John Penn (NC, born in VA) - George Read (DE, born in MD) - George Ross (PA, born in DE) - Roger Sherman (CT, born in MA) - George Walton (GA, born in VA) - William Whipple (NH, born in MA \[now ME\]) Interestingly, none of Georgia's signers were actually born in Georgia, and none of North Carolina's signers were actually born in North Carolina. ### How many of the signers were born in the American Colonies? expand\_more 48 of the 56 signers were born in America. Two were born in England (Button Gwinnett, Robert Morris), two in Ireland (George Taylor, Matthew Thornton), two in Scotland (James Wilson, John Witherspoon), one in Northern Ireland (James Smith), and one in Wales (Francis Lewis). ### What is the word count of the Declaration of Independence? expand\_more The text of the Declaration of Independence, from "When in the course of human events" through "our sacred honor", is approximately 1,320 words long. Some versions of the text add, subtract, or change words, which affects the word count. If you include the title from the engrossed parchment, "In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America," the total word count is 1,337. If you include the names of the 56 signers, the total word count is 1,458. ### Who signed the Declaration of Independence? expand\_more 56 delegates to the Continental Congress signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence. Most of the signers voted in favor of independence on July 2nd. Some delegates who voted for independence did not sign the Declaration, and some signers were not delegates to Congress at the time of the vote. The 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence are (in alphabetical order): John Adams (MA), Samuel Adams (MA), Josiah Bartlett (NH), Carter Braxton (VA), Charles Carroll of Carrollton (MD), Samuel Chase (MD), Abraham Clark (NJ), George Clymer (PA), William Ellery (RI), William Floyd (NY), Benjamin Franklin (PA), Elbridge Gerry (MA), Button Gwinnett (GA), Lyman Hall (GA), John Hancock (MA, President), Benjamin Harrison (VA), John Hart (NJ), Joseph Hewes (NC), Thomas Heyward, Jr. (SC), William Hooper (NC), Stephen Hopkins (RI), Francis Hopkinson (NJ), Samuel Huntington (CT), Thomas Jefferson (VA), Francis Lightfoot Lee (VA), Richard Henry Lee (VA), Francis Lewis (NY), Philip Livingston (NY), Thomas Lynch, Jr. (SC), Thomas McKean (DE), Arthur Middleton (SC), Lewis Morris (NY), Robert Morris (PA), John Morton (PA), Thomas Nelson, Jr. (VA), William Paca (MD), Robert Treat Paine (MA), John Penn (NC), George Read (DE), Caesar Rodney (DE), George Ross (PA), Benjamin Rush (PA), Edward Rutledge (SC), Roger Sherman (CT), James Smith (PA), Richard Stockton (NJ), Thomas Stone (MD), George Taylor (PA), Matthew Thornton (NH), George Walton (GA), William Whipple (NH), William Williams (CT), James Wilson (PA), John Witherspoon (NJ), Oliver Wolcott (CT), George Wythe (VA)