The Risks of Signing the Declaration

Signing the Declaration of Independence was basically signing your own death warrant. The mood in the

room was so grim that one delegate joked to another, "When we are all hung for this,

I shall die in a few minutes, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the

air for an hour or two before you are dead." And that famous July 4th date?

That’s when Congress approved the final text. Most of the 56 men didn't actually

sign the document until August 2nd. The text itself had 86 edits, and Jefferson was

furious they cut a clause blaming the King for the slave trade.