<span>On July 4, 1776 the original declaration of Independence was signed by only two people, Charles Thomson as Secretary and John Hancock as President of the Continental Congress. The original signed Declaration of Independence was then taken to John Dunlap, a Philadelphia printer. John Dunlap printed 500 Hancock/Thomson "typed signed" Broadsides which were distributed to the members of Congress and the King of England. The original Declaration of Independence that was actually signed by Thomson and Hancock, however, was lost in the fever of Freedom. On August 2, 1776 the delegates returned to Philadelphia to sign a newly prepared Declaration of Independence and for some known reason Thomson was not invited to sign. 56 people signed total.</span>
