Continental Congress

Michael Scurr, a retired insurance executive volunteering at Britain’s National Archives, discovered a rare early copy of the Declaration of Independence attached to an 18th-century Royal Navy captain’s letter. The document, part of the Exeter printing from July 1776, is one of 11 known copies and the only one found outside the U.S., highlighting its role in spreading news of American independence during the Revolutionary War.

A rare early copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, was discovered by UK National Archives volunteer Michael Scurr in the papers of an 18th-century Royal Navy captain. The document, one of 11 known Exeter printing copies and the only one outside the US, was captured from the American privateer Dalton in 1776.

A rare early copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, printed in Exeter in July 1776, was discovered by UK National Archives volunteer Michael Scurr in the papers of an 18th-century Royal Navy captain. The document, one of 11 known Exeter printings and the only one found outside the U.S., was attached to a report on the capture of the American privateer Dalton in 1776.

A rare early copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1776, was discovered by UK National Archives volunteer Michael Scurr in the papers of an 18th-century Royal Navy captain. The document, one of 11 known Exeter printing copies and the only one outside the U.S., was attached to a report on the capture of the American privateer Dalton.

A rare early copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, was discovered by UK National Archives volunteer Michael Scurr among documents related to the 1776 capture of an American privateer ship. The document, one of 11 known copies of the Exeter printing, was found attached to a report on the capture of the Dalton, an 18-gun privateer operating under the Continental Congress.

A rare copy of the Declaration of Independence was discovered by UK National Archives volunteer Michael Scurr in documents from an 18th-century Royal Navy captain. The document, part of the Exeter printing from July 1776, is one of 11 known copies and the only one outside the United States. It was found attached to a report on the capture of the American privateer Dalton.

Members of Congress are returning to Philadelphia to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Continental Congress' vote for independence on July 2, 1776, organized by Rep. Brendan Boyle as a bipartisan event, with details withheld for security.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, by 12 of the 13 colonies, with Thomas Jefferson drafting the document. It was formally signed on August 2, 1776, and two signers, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, died on July 4, 1826. The original signed copy is housed in the National Archives.

Letters written by John Dickinson, a member of the Continental Congress, are displayed in Cambridge, Mass. The letters reveal a previously unknown attempt by Dickinson to avert the Revolutionary War.

John Adams described the American Revolution as a transformation of colonists' minds and hearts, emphasizing it began before the war and extended beyond battles. The revolution involved overcoming religious diversity and distrust among colonies, with the Continental Congress struggling to unite due to differing beliefs.

The article reveals that America's fireworks tradition originated on May 16, 1776, when Virginians, including James Madison and John Augustine Washington, declared independence from Britain amid British tyranny. This event predates the July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence and marks the 250th anniversary in 2026.