The approval of the Lee Resolution was July 2, the Declaration was approved July 4, the signingof the Declaration was (mostly) on August 2.

Which date would you have considered for Independence Day if you were in charge back then?

Ah, who are you kidding. You’d have picked the Fourth as well. The approval of the Lee Resolution was a detail of procedure. The signing of the Declaration was just finishing up the paperwork. And we have an actual document with a date on it! Of course everyone chose the Fourth! (Sorry, Mike.)

Incidentally, practically every American knows what the Declaration of Independence looks like. But do you know that there’s something on the back?

Remember that early on, the original document was not especially well-treated. And oftentimes it was simply rolled up for transport. Because there were probably other documents it was housed with, someone wrote along one edge, “Original Declaration of Independence, dated 4th July 1776”.

So now you know!

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