A rare 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence, known as the “Exeter Declaration,” has been discovered by a volunteer at the U.K.’s National Archives. This copy is one of only 11 known to exist and is believed to be the only one located outside the United States. The document was printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, to disseminate news of the signing of the Declaration and was reportedly found among papers seized from the American ship Dalton by the British Royal Navy on Christmas Eve 1776. Michael Scurry, the volunteer who found it while cataloging correspondence, alerted his supervisors, leading to its identification and subsequent conservation efforts to repair a tear. The significance of this document lies in its role as a symbol of the ideals for which those aboard the Dalton were fighting.
Why It Matters
The discovery of the Exeter Declaration highlights the historical significance and international reach of the American Declaration of Independence. Printed quickly to inform and rally support, such copies were crucial in spreading revolutionary ideas during the American Revolution. The document’s seizure during a naval confrontation underscores the tensions between Britain and the American colonies at the time. Each surviving copy of the Declaration offers invaluable insight into the historical narrative of the fight for independence, making this find particularly important for scholars and historians studying this pivotal era.
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