![]() ![]() He signed the Declaration of Independence as "Charles Carroll of Carrollton," a form of his name that he used to distinguish himself from a number of other Maryland Charles Carrolls. He held numerous offices in Maryland, both before and after independence, and helped frame the Maryland constitution. He returned to America 20 years later, after subsequent studies in London, and promptly became active in the patriot cause. Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737-1832)Ĭarroll was born into a wealthy Annapolis family, and shipped off to be educated in France at the age of 8. Braxton, who is known to have had as many as 18 children, made poor financial decisions after serving in Congress and died penniless. ![]() He later became governor of the new state of New Hampshire.Ĭoming from a wealthy plantation family, Braxton became a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, the first democratically elected legislative body in British North America, before being named to the Virginia delegation to the Continental Congress. Elected to represent the New Hampshire Colony at the Continental Congress, he was the second person to sign the Declaration of Independence, after John Hancock. ![]() Massachusetts-born Bartlett studied medicine and set up a practice as a doctor in Kingston, New Hampshire. Samuel Adams (1722-1803)Ī cousin of John Adams, Samuel Adams has been described as "an excellent politician, an unsuccessful brewer, and a poor businessman." (Despite his apparent lack of brewing success, the Boston Beer Company's popular Samuel Adams brand is named after him.) A leading advocate for independence and a close friend of writer and intellectual Tom Paine, Adams was known as an eloquent orator. In 1783, he helped develop, and signed, the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War. One of the most revered of the Founding Fathers, the man who was to become the first vice president and the second president of the United States (and father of the nation's sixth president, John Quincy Adams) was a noted attorney, an active member of the Continental Congress, and an outspoken opponent of slavery. ![]() Department of State Office of the Historian, and the Encyclopedia Britannica. Information about the signers of the Declaration of Independence was drawn from, which is the website of the non-profit Philadelphia-based Independence Hall Association, as well as from the websites of The Society of the Descendents of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the U.S. Whoever they were, one thing is certain: These 56 signers put their lives and livelihoods on the line for the cause of American independence, and without their actions we’d have nothing to celebrate as a nation – on the Fourth of July or any other date. Some came to bad ends one lived to the age of 95. The majority owned slaves – 41 of the 56, according to one study – though there were also ardent abolitionists among their number. Some of the signers are world famous – among them Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams – and some are obscure. It was on July 4, however, that the Continental Congress approved the final text of the Declaration – after jointly making some 86 changes in the draft composed by Thomas Jefferson and four colleagues. We drew on sources such as, the website of the non-profit Philadelphia-based Independence Hall Association to compile our list. is taking a look at who the 56 signers of the Declaration were. The colonists formally declared their independence on July 2, which John Adams promptly called “the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America,” predicting that it “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.”Īs Independence Day draws near, 24/7 Wall St. Everybody knows that the Fourth of July celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the historic document by means of which the 13 American colonies severed their political connections with Great Britain and declared themselves to be the United States of America.Įxcept that the Declaration wasn’t signed on the Fourth of July. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |