Honoring America 250: A Journey to Freedom
Handwriting: Declaration of Independence Edition
Independence Day is on July 4th! But why?
On July 4th, 1776, the U.S. officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. While numerous copies are available, the original is kept at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. You will see below that there were 2 main versions of the Declaration of Independence. Even though they say the same thing, you will notice that they still look very different.
First Version:
Printed by John Dunlap, this is the first version of the Declaration of Independence. The letters look more like something commonly printed today than cursive, making them more legible than the next version.
[Source of the Image: National Archives Catalog 301682, Dunlap Broadside]
Second Version:
The Second Continental Congress decided to make another copy of the Declaration of Independence a few weeks later. On July 19, 1776, Timothy Matlack wrote the version that we know today.
This style of writing was chosen for its “elegance, authority, and anonymity”. Known as English roundhand/Copperplate, this handwriting is similar to italic cursive.
Numerous factors have caused the ink to fade. The space at the bottom used to have signatures by numerous Founding Fathers and members of the Second Continental Congress.
[Source of the Image: National Archives Catalog 1419123, Engrossed Declaration of Independence]
In case you want to try reading this version of the Declaration of Independence, here is a clearer copy.
[Source of the Image: National Archives Catalog 1656604, Print #3 of the Declaration of Independence]
If it’s still hard to read, there are transcriptions available if you are curious about what this version of the Declaration of Independence actually says, along with the signers’ names.
✍️ Interested in Learning Different Handwriting Styles?
Calligraphy is beginner-friendly. It combines cursive with thick downward strokes and thin upward strokes.
First, you have to choose a writing utensil.
Pencil/pen: easy to control how you want your letters to look due to its fine tips, but lettering might not look as smooth since each letter will require more than one streak.
Marker: medium difficulty to control, but gives you more flexibility with colors and smoothness
Brush pen: hardest to control. But it allows for smooth handwriting, like with markers, and higher flexibility. These are typically used for calligraphy (thick downwards strokes and thin upwards strokes).
If you want calligraphy worksheets to trace over and tips:
https://www.uprinting.com/blog/25-free-calligraphy-practice-sheets
🕵️ Ready to Dig Deeper?
The Kelley Center is here to help you investigate, discover, and learn. Just ask: email govhelp@rice.edu or visit us in the library basement.
🔍 Continue Your Journey
Visit our exhibit, Keeping America Informed: The Enduring Partnership Between Government Printing and Libraries for Public Access (1800s–Present), to explore how America's earliest government documents were printed and how a centuries-long partnership between the federal government and libraries has helped preserve our nation's documentary heritage and ensure free equal public access to government information—an essential foundation of an informed democracy.
📅 Upcoming Workshop: Reading and Interpreting Historical Cursive Writing
Many historical letters, diaries, government records, and archival documents were written in cursive scripts that can be challenging for modern readers to decipher. To help researchers unlock these valuable primary sources, Fondren Library plans to offer a workshop on reading and interpreting cursive handwriting for historical research this fall. Stay tuned for more information.
About the Author
Daira Posada is Kelley Center student staff, an undergraduate student in Computer Science at Rice University. This post was written as part of the 2026 America250@Fondren program commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
