Trivia Question

[BBTom]

Shucks, I didn't think it would be polite to lift the covers and look at her feet!!! ;D

[TexasTimbers]

Well I know most of them did not sign it on july 4th.

Is that wording you have a trick because you are asking how many did not sign ".....the declaration of Independence day ...." that word "day" changes things if you take it literally. Hang on this is bugging me . . . . . . . .


Okay I just went and looked it up. I was right at first. NO ONE signed it on July 4th. It was not actually signed by anyone until August 2nd. Unless that "day" thing is part of the trick I think I must've been right ??? What does your source say?

[Tom]

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/documents/declaration/signers.html

[Jeff]

Keep researchin Kevjay.    You'll come upon it.

http://bessel.org/declsign.htm gives one instance

[Jeff]

Tom, that does not include the first two.

[Jeff]

After its adoption by Congress on July 4, a handwritten draft signed by the President of Congress John Hancock and the Secretary Charles Thomson was then sent a few blocks away to the printing shop of John Dunlap.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

[SwampDonkey]

I don't proclaim to know much about the history in the US, but I always thought Hancock's would be one of the first on there. It sure stands out on the document, whether that means he signed on July 4th or not I have no idea. You guys know more about it than me.

[SwampDonkey]

I say that because for as long as I can remember I've always heard a lawyer or a loan officer say: "All we require now is your John Hancock on the line marked X."

[Tom]

Tom, that does not include the first two.

I know, we already said we didn't sign it on the 4th.  ;D

[Don P]

IIRC Hancock made a crack as he signed that he didn't want King George to have to squint. His little flourish under his name has his monogram H.

Scroll down to Halifax Resolves;
http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/HISTORY/HISTORY.HTM

[Furby]

Well me and Burlkraft both signed it on the fourth so ya are all wrong! ;D

As far as Marilyn's toes...... what happened to the other four ???

[TexasTimbers]

Bens Guide was the source I used too when I finally decided I couldn't remember enough to trust my memory of it. From what I read, no one signed the document on the fourth. It was "approved" on the fourth by the 2nd Continental Congress, but from my reading of it, not a single signature went down on the actual document until August 2nd. The original question was "How many people DID NOT sign it on I-day"

I still say, based on my research, EVERYONE did NOT sign it on July 4th, because NO-ONE DID sign it, but some states did "approve" it on that day.  But I have misunderstodd these things before. :

Let me ask it this way. Who DID sign it on July 4th ??? I'll read in the mornin . . . . . 

[Tom]

I read that Hancock and fellow named Thomson had their signatures on it.   Thomson wasn't a signer, his name was on it because he was the courier to the print shop, or something like that.

click and read the last three paragraphs for the Thomson story.

[Jeff]

Once again.

After its adoption by Congress on July 4, a handwritten draft signed by the President of Congress John Hancock and the Secretary Charles Thomson was then sent a few blocks away to the printing shop of John Dunlap.

The original and final draft of the declaration was signed on July 4th by the two above. The document signed on August 2nd was the printers copy of the original draft.

The original question was how many people DID NOT sign it on decaration day. Everyone but two is still the answer. John Hancock and Charles Thomson.

On July 4th,  the hand written draft WAS thee declaration of Independence.

[Don P]

Tom's link shoots down another good story I musta heard summers outta school. Hancock didn't make that crack about King George  :-\.
I remember a play or comedy about the signers and the events around that time, must have been a year or three before the Bicentennial. The main thing I remember was, Franklin was a rounder  :D.

[TexasTimbers]

Uncle.  ;D

Hey I was only two signers off.