As much as we would like to think we know about our founders and the precious documents they crafted, there's always something we may not have known.  In this "hurry-up" day we live in, it's easy to over look some cool facts about the adopted Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Here are 5 rare facts surrounding the document, that you may not have known.

  1. Jefferson Was Upset - Thomas Jefferson, a slave owner, was upset that slavery was edited out of the document. In the first draft, Jefferson wrote about England's support and importing activities of slaves to the colonies. He wrote this as a grievance. Delegates from Georgia and South Carolina had requested that the passage be removed. And it was.
  2. A Riot In New York Began - A copy of the Declaration of Independence had reached the state of New York by July 9, 1776. At the time, there were thousands of British Navel Ships occupying the harbor, with military tensions very high. After George Washington, the commander of the Continental forces in New York read the document, the people cheered, pulled down the statue of George III and melted it down into 42,000 musket balls for the American Army.
  3. Youngest & Oldest Signers - The oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence was, none other than, Benjamin Franklin himself. At 70 years old, Franklin made the statement at the signing, "We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." South Carolinian Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer at 26, and was initially opposed to independence, but signed the Declaration, in the spirit of unanimity. He was also captured by the British during the course of the Revolutionary War.
  4. One Signer Recanted - Because he was a signer, New Jersey delegate Richard Stockton, who was taken prisoner in the middle of the night, recanted his participation in signing the Declaration. Under the duress of very harsh British confinement, he pledged his allegiance to the King of England. They took and destroyed his property and it affected his health. Upon his death bed, he re-pledged his allegiance to the United States of America.
  5. What's On The Back Of It? - In the movie "National Treasure", the character, played by Nick Cage, said there was "map" on the back of the Declaration of Independence. However, there is a message on the back of the document that is up-side down and reads, "Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776." Because the document was rolled up during transport, some think this was done as a label, that could be seen while rolled up.

There is so much interesting and rare history of America out there. What rare information are you privy to about our country? Share it with us in the comments section below.

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