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Show _ . , INDEPENDENCE DAY . . July 1 marks the 157th anniversary anmversary of 01 the me adoption adoptionof auupuiuuof of the Declaration of Independence by the ContinentalCongress Contmental Continental ContmentalCongress ContinentalCongress Congress , and the birth of our nation . As time hasproved has hasproved proved , this was one of ithe the most significant legIslatIve legIslatIveacts legislativeacts legislativeacts acts in the histoly history of the world . , r : . The idea of a sepalation separation sepal ation of the American colonies coloniesI coloniesfrom coloniesfrom coloniesfrom I from England was first expressed mpressed . : in t the h e Congress Congressthrough . ' through a resolution by Richard R1chard Henry Lee of Virginiaon VIrgmia Virginia . on June 7 , 1776 , but it was "as as Vias " not passed immediately . Acommittee A Aconunittee Acommittee conunittee committee composed of ! .Thomas Thomas fhomas . Jefferson as chahman chairman chahmanJohn , , John Adams , Benjamin BenJamm Franklin Franklm , R . R . Livmgston Livingston and andJ andt andRoger J t Roger Sherman was appointed appomted on June 10 to draw up a asuitable asuitable : sUItable declmatIon declaration declai ation in m accordance with Lee's Lees ' resolutIOn resolutionand , 1 ' 1and and the drafting of the immortal document was en entrusted en- en entrusted entrusted - trusted to Jefferson . . The Declaration as written by Jefferson , with slightamendments slight slightamendments . amendments by Franklin and Adams , was presented to tok tothe tothe k the Congiess Congless Congress on June 28 . Lee's Lees ' lesolution resolution was passed passedon on July 2 , and the Declaration of Independence was wasadopted wasadopted wasadopted adopted on July 4 . . After the formal document had been engrossed onparchment on onparchment - parchment it was signed by the delegates present inCongress in int inr inCongress inCongress t r Congress on August 2 , 1776 , and by the absentees on onlater onlater onlater later dates . One delegate , McKean of Delaware , did not notSIgn notsign notsign SIgn until 1781 . jOf Of the 56 signers , 7 were not members of Congress Congresson j on July 4 , and of those present presen on that day 7 never signed-the signed the signed signedi - i , the Declaration . All except 8 of the signers were bornon born bornon \ on American Amencan soil ; 34 were lawyers , 13 planters or farm farm- farmI farmera farmers - ; I , ers era , 9 merchants , 5 physicians , 2 mechanics , 1 clergy clergy- clergyman clergyman clergyman - . man , L 1 mason and 1 surveyor . Two of the signers signera , Adams and Jefferson , becamer becameI became becamedays r I president . Nearly all played important parts in the early earlydays - days of the republic . It is fitting that we should paytribute pay paytribute ! tribute to their memory on Independence Day . I |