Independence Day Closing Notice

NBHA will be closed in observance of Independence Day (Friday, July 4th) 

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. This officially declared that the 13 established colonies were now legally separate from Great Britain, one of the motivating factors of the first Pilgrims who first arrived in 1620 to pursue religious freedom. The Declaration of Independence precedes our country's Constitution by 11 years. The Constitution provides the legal and governmental framework for the United States, whereas the Declaration of Independence is a statement providing the reasons for our separation from Great Britain (the country that colonized the original North American states).

How many copies of each were made?

There were about 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence printed by John Dunlap and distributed throughout the colonies. Those precious copies are now known as "Dunlap Broadsides"-they are super rare and now worth a fortune. It's thought that only 25 of these copies still exist. The next time you're at a yard sale, keep your eyes peeled, because a few decades ago one lucky shopper unknowingly purchased a previously unknown Dunlap Broadside for $4 at a flea market and sold it for $2.4 million in 1991.

The Constitution, on the other hand, was only written down once, although 14 copies of the Bill of Rights were produced, one for each of the original 13 states and one for the federal government to keep.

Where are the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution today?

Visit the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom housed inside The National Archives in Washington D.C. to see the original Constitution, a copy of one of the original Declarations of Independence and a copy of the original Bill of Rights.

Source: https://www.rd.com/article/difference-declaration-of-independence-and-constitution/

Wishing you and your family a safe and exciting 4th of July holiday weekend!