HIT: Declaration of Independence

[Jill Hofmockel <jhofmockel@CCS.K12.IA.US>]

You guys always make me look sooo smart.

My original question was whether or not a copy of our Declaration of =
Independence was sent to the King and if so, where is that copy today.

I got lots of great responses.  What interesting reading they were.

Thanks to all who had some insight.

Jill

The Declaration of Independence is on display at the NATIONAL ARCHIVES not
the Library of Congress.  See
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/charters.html
    A history of this document is given at
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/declaration/dechist.html  but upon =
quick
perusal I cannot find an answer to your question.  Good Luck!

-----------------------------

This was one thing I worked on when I was getting my MLS at=20
Rutgers.  One would think that since it was a kind of petition to the=20
King, they would have sent it.  I read the entire minutes of the=20
Continental Congress, The House of Lords and the House of=20
Commons for a year before and after and found no mention.  That=20
was a feat!  It was all on microfilm written in old script.  There was=20
one mention of the King reporting sometime in November of 1776=20
that "we now know who the traitors are."  One can assume that he=20
got the list of signers then.  At the time one of my professors used=20
to work in the British Museum and he contacted some friends who=20
still worked there.  They wrote back saying that they have a copy=20
of the Declaration but there is no record as to when and from=20
whence in came.  One could think that the person who delivered it=20
did not make many people happy in England (the old kill the=20
messenger thing.)  After about 6 months of research.  That is all I=20
could find out.  Hope that is some help to you.  It was interesting to=20
me.
***
----------------------------------------------------

Our history teacher said that a copy was sent by ship.
It is thought the ship sank before reaching King
George but there is no proof just theory.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's what I know.  LC does not have the "original" Declaration
of Independence.  We *used* to have it (except for a period of
time during World War II, when the Declaration and several other
important historical documents were shipped off to an undisclosed
location (someplace like Ft. Knox) for safe-keeping).  But in
1952, and I quote from LC's home page, "The Joint Committee on
the Library directs Librarian Evans to transfer the Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution of the United States to the
National Archives."

What I believe we *do* have is a early draft of the Declaration,
and that may be on display as part of the American Ttreasures
exhibit, as well as other related materials.

But I saved the best for last.  The LC home page has a wonderful
history of "Declaring Independence" -- the URL is:

   http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/declara1.html

It includes a detailed history *and* some images of the "original
Rough draught" in Jefferson's hand.

------------------------------------------------

In looking over the history, I don't believe a copy of the
Declaration was ever sent to England, and that the "original" at
the National Archives is, in fact, what is referred to as the
officially inscribed copy.  Again from LCWEB:

"On July 19,[1776] Congress ordered the production of an
engrossed (officially inscribed) copy of the Declaration of
Independence, which attending members of the Continental
Congress, including some who had not voted for its adoption,
began to sign on August 2, 1776. This document is on permanent
display at the National Archives."

Hope this helps!
-------------------------------------------------------

> The King never received the document or even a copy.  (That's why we =
have the
> official engrossed - hand-written - copy in Washington.)  He obviously =
heard
> about it, although no one is sure if he ever actually saw a copy.  =
Apparently
> he was informed about the content and a version of it was printed in a
> newsletter of some type at one of the political clubs in London.  I hope =
that
> helps.
>             Keith Haines    National Park Service Seasona Interpretive =
Ranger
> for Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia

Jill Hofmockel, Library Media Specialist
Prairie High School
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
jhofmockel@ccs.k12.ia.us

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