Who Signed the Declaration of Independence First?

Americans are celebrating the nation's 233rd birthday, and the words of the Declaration of Independence will be heard at countless patriotic ceremonies across the land. The core ideals articulated by those words are still embraced by solid majorities of the American public.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 89% of American adults agree that "we are all endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Only seven percent (7%) disagree on that founding premise.

Seventy-four percent (74%) agree with the assertion that “all men are created equal” while just 23% disagree.

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Fifty-six percent (56%) agree with the view that governments derive their only just authority from the “consent of the governed.” Interestingly, one-in-four Americans (25%) disagree.

Other survey data shows that voters nationwide overwhelming trust the American people to make key decisions more than they trust political leaders. Those who disagree and hold a Political Class perspective represent a small minority of the population.

When presented with a choice of five Founding Fathers, 40% of American adults were able to correctly identify John Hancock as the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Sixteen percent (16%) thought that honor belonged to Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the document.