On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/july-04

On September 17, 1787, members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/september-17

The Constitution Is Ratified by Nine States. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the new Constitution, making its adoption official. Preceding New Hampshire were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina. Virginia and New York ratified shortly after New Hampshire, followed by North Carolina in November 1789. Rhode Island was last to ratify, not joining the Union until May 1790. https://www.loc.gov/collections/continental-congress-and-constitutional-convention-from-1774-to-1789/articles-and-essays/timeline/1787-to-1788

On September 25, 1789, the First Federal Congress of the United States proposed to the state legislatures twelve amendments to the Constitution. https://www.loc.gov/rr/program//bib/ourdocs/billofrights.html

Articles Three through Twelve were ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15, 1791. These articles became Amendments One through Ten of the Constitution. https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/december-15

Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents

Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, receives Richard Henry Lee's resolution urging Congress to declare independence.

Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston appointed to a committee to draft a declaration of independence. American army retreats to Lake Champlain from Canada.

At the request of the committee, Jefferson drafts a declaration that is the basic text of his “original Rough draught.” Jefferson’s draft—now in the manuscript collections of the Library of Congress—is reviewed by the committee before being submitted to the Congress.

A fair copy of the committee draft of the Declaration of Independence is read in Congress.

Congress declares independence as the British fleet and army arrive at New York.

Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in the morning of a bright, sunny, but cool Philadelphia day. John Dunlap prints the Declaration of Independence. These prints are now called "Dunlap Broadsides." Twenty-four copies are known to exist, two of which are in the Library of Congress. One of these was Washington's personal copy.

John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, dispatches the first of Dunlap's broadsides of the Declaration of Independence to the legislatures of New Jersey and Delaware.

Pennsylvania Evening Post of July 6 prints the first newspaper rendition of the Declaration of Independence.

Washington orders that the Declaration of Independence be read before the American army in New York from his personal copy of the "Dunlap Broadside."

Congress orders the Declaration of Independence engrossed (officially inscribed) and signed by members.

Delegates begin to sign engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence. A large British reinforcement arrives at New York after being repelled at Charleston, S.C.

Congress, now sitting in Baltimore, Maryland, orders that signed copies of the Declaration of Independence printed by Mary Katherine Goddard of Baltimore be sent to the states.

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