July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve the Lee Resolution, effectively declaring the 13 American colonies independent from Great Britain.[1] Two days later, on July 4, Congress formally adopted the final text of the Declaration of Independence, after making some alterations to Thomas Jefferson’s draft. The United States was officially born. All 56 signers of the document had just put their lives at great risk—signing what amounted to a death warrant if the Revolution failed.[2]

So what led to this historic moment? Why was Jefferson tasked with writing the document? And what was the fate of the signers?

The Leadup to July 4th

The American colonies had been at war with Great Britain for a little over a year. The famous “shot heard round the world” at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, had launched the colonies into armed conflict with the world’s preeminent superpower. The Battle of Bunker Hill followed in June 1775. While the Americans performed admirably, their limited resources were no match for the King’s professional army. As the war spiraled, the opportunity to reconcile with Great Britain dwindled. Signing a declaration of independence would be the point of no return—the final nail in the coffin of any hope for peaceful resolution.