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Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence facts for kids

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Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence - zoomed 1
The Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence in 2014, seen from across the pond in Constitution Gardens

The Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence is a memorial depicting the signatures of the original 56 signatories to the United States Declaration of Independence. It is located in the Constitution Gardens on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The memorial is accessible to the public by crossing a wooden bridge onto a small island set in the lake between Constitution Avenue and the Reflecting Pool, not far from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

History

Public Law 95-260 was passed by Congress in 1978 to create a memorial to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The memorial is a gift from the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration and consists of 56 stone blocks, each with a facsimile of the signer's actual signature, his occupation, and his home town. It was dedicated on July 2, 1984, exactly 208 years after the Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence.

Memorialized signers

Fifty-six delegates to the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence and are honored at this Memorial:

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