WASHINGTON, D.C. – As we celebrate Independence Day, the National Archives in Washington, D.C. is letting the public view rare documents that led congress to declare independence from Great Britain. We got a sneak peek from inside the Archives’ vault.
“Normally we keep these documents in our vaults which are temperature and humidity controlled and in the dark, so they are only brought out every once in awhile,” said Jessie Kratz with the National Archives.
In the research wing of the National Archives, we’re given a rare glimpse of historic documents relating to the Declaration of Independence.
“We decided to put on several documents related to the Declaration of Independence,” said Kratz. “Essentially they’re several versions of Declarations of Independence, that’s why we’re calling it ‘Declarations of Independence’.
Kratz outlines what documents and reproductions will go on display:
“So, we have the original – on June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee who was a delegate from Virginia he proposed a resolution basically declaring independence from Great Britain,” said Kratz. “We’re showing that resolution and we’re showing the vote on that resolution which was on July 2, 1776. That was only voted on 12 of the 13 colonies because New York had abstained; they didn’t get approval yet. Then we’re showing a printed version of the Declaration of Independence that was created overnight that was July 4 through the 5th. That’s on display and that’s called the ‘Dunlap Broadsides’. We’re also displaying a ceremonial copy of the Declaration of Independence that was created in 1818, and we have a bicentennial printing of the Declaration of Independence that was created off an original engraving plate from the Declaration of Independence. So, we have various versions- a couple of drafts and a couple of copies.”
These will be on display through July 6, 2025. They said these pieces of history help put the Declaration of Independence in context.
“We get some documents leading up to that for the approval of the Declaration so people can see that it wasn’t just brought down one night, there was really a process,” said Kratz. “A committee wrote it, congress made changes and even the printed version that we have is slightly different than the original than what we have in the rotunda.”
Next year will mark America’s 250th anniversary. They said these documents and reproductions highlight the Declaration’s enduring symbol of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of a more perfect union.
“I really want people to take away that this is really a larger story,” said Kratz. “Everything didn’t just start on July 4, 1776. By that time when we declared independence we had already been fighting a war for over a year, so you see that we had a resolution and this was debated and changed and still in American’s consciousness through the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.”
The museum will be open for extended hours from July 3-5 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free and timed entry tickets are encouraged, but not required.
