July 9, 1776: On July 9th, in New York, Washington had the Declaration read to his gathered troops. Later that night, the Americans took down a bronze and lead statue of King George III (1738-1820), situated at the Bowling Green’s base on Broadway, symbolizing their defiance. Washington’s own copy of the Dunlap printing of the Declaration of Independence is now preserved in the Manuscript Division’s George Washington Papers.

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Enclosure, John Hancock to George Washington concerning the reading of the Declaration of Independence to the Revolutionary army, 4 July 1776.

 Among the resolutions passed by the Continental Congress on 4 July 1776 was one which called for the president of the Congress, John Hancock (1737-1793), to send to several commanding officers of the Continental army copies of the Declaration of Independence, which had just been adopted by Congress and printed by John Dunlap (1747-1812). Hancock sent this copy of the resolutions together with the “Dunlap Broadside” of the Declaration to Gen. George Washington (1732-1799) on 6 July. Washington had the Declaration read to his assembled troops in New York on 9 July. Later that night, the Americans destroyed a bronze and lead statue of King George III (1738-1820), which stood at the foot of Broadway on the Bowling Green. Washington’s personal copy of the Dunlap printing of the Declaration of Independence remains in the Manuscript Division’s George Washington Papers.