Rare copy of US Declaration of Independence found at National Archives
A rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence has been discovered at the National Archives in Kew, London.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A rare printed copy of the United States Declaration of Independence has been discovered at the National Archives in Kew, London. It is the only known example of its kind outside the United States.
The document was found by a volunteer, Michael Scurr, while he was sorting through old, unseen documents in February. He described opening a folder and seeing the word 'Declaration' in large letters. 'I opened it up and realised it was the Declaration of Independence in the United States of America,' he said. 'I could feel my stomach sort of thinking, oh, I think I need to calm down here.'
The copy is one of only 11 surviving from the first batch printed in New Hampshire in 1776. After the original Declaration was adopted on 4 July 1776, news spread quickly across the colonies, and local printers produced their own editions. This particular copy was among papers seized by the Royal Navy when it captured an American ship. It was brought to Plymouth in January 1777 and then sent to Whitehall in London. It has remained in British government records ever since, first with the Admiralty and later at the Public Record Office and the National Archives.
The original handwritten Declaration of Independence is held at the US National Archives in Washington, DC, and is considered priceless. Printed copies from 1776 are extremely rare and valuable. In January, one sold at auction for more than $5.5 million (about £4 million). There are no plans to sell this newly discovered copy. It has been added to the National Archives' prize collection and is expected to go on display as part of the Revolution 250 exhibition, marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Historians describe the document as incredibly significant, not only for the United States but for the world. 'We see this kind of idea, this idea of a new nation, of how you should govern a nation, of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness spreading around the world through the rest of the next few decades in what we call the Age of Revolutions,' one expert said. Mr Scurr said he felt very proud to have stumbled across the document and that others would now be able to enjoy it as he did.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| A copy of the declaration is one of only 11 surviving from the first ones printed in New Hampshire. | |
| The declaration was seized by the Royal Navy when it captured an American ship. | |
| The document was found by a volunteer at the National Archives in Kew. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The BBC focused on the human story of the volunteer's discovery, the historical journey of the document from capture by the Royal Navy to its current home, and the document's global significance. The tone was celebratory and educational, with detailed context about the printing and the Age of Revolutions.
- “I opened it up and realised it was the Declaration of Independence in the United States of America.”
- “It is an incredibly significant document, not only in the year 1776 and not only in the United States, but also around the world.”
- “I could feel my stomach sort of thinking, oh, I think I need to calm down here.”
Broadcast Timeline
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