Copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives
5 hours ago
- #historical discovery
- #transatlantic history
- #US Declaration of Independence
- A volunteer at the National Archives in London discovered a rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence, the 'Exeter printing', one of only 11 surviving copies.
- The document was found among papers from the captured American privateer ship Dalton in 1776 and had been forgotten in naval archives for over 200 years.
- The copy was printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16-19, 1776, and was likely obtained by the ship's captain in Portsmouth to share with the crew.
- The Dalton's diverse crew included a free black man, Daniel Cottle, highlighting the transatlantic nature of the American Revolution and the roles of marginalized individuals.
- The discovery underscores the document's provenance and the spread of revolutionary news, making it a significant historical find with a complete backstory.