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Joseph M. Adelman @jmadelman.bsky.social · 14h

In this week's Declaration Stories, @emilysneff.bsky.social explores the work of Benjamin Towne, whose Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first English-language newspaper to print the Declaration in July 1776. www.declarationstories.org/stories/earl...

Early Intelligence — Declaration Stories

On July 6, Benjamin Towne had the Declaration of Independence before any other newspaper printers were able to share the text with their readers

www.declarationstories.org

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · 4d

Fit check for Revolutionary Germantown x Red October

Photo of a red t shirt with white writing: The British blew a thirteen colony lead. Layered on top, a light blue hat with a white and red outline of the Liberty Bell.

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Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · 7d

Did people in London really buy John Hancock's portrait "merely for the sake of hanging him up"? 😳

Learn about @jcblibrary.bsky.social's broadside of the Declaration of Independence in this week's story: declarationstories.org/stories/hanging-up-hancock

Hanging Up Hancock — Declaration Stories

The people who purchased the British broadsides of the Declaration were probably more interested in celebrating Hancock than hanging him

declarationstories.org

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Jul 7

Book tour loading . . .

Get in touch if you want to schedule an event or see an event happen in your area! emilysneff.com

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · 12d

Coming April 15, 2026!

The nation’s founding document at the moment of its creation in 1776, before anyone knew what the legacy of the Declaration would be or if the United States would win the war against Great Britain.

Pre-order information (and discount code!) will be available in the new year.

Book cover with text reading: Emily Sneff, When the Declaration of Independence Was News. Background color fades from a peach-toned map at the top of the image to a blue-toned image of the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence.

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Joanne Freeman @jbf1755.bsky.social · 15d

YES!!!!

Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · 15d

There is an incredible amount of good history being done at the local level and in small museums--the folks who will actually engage the public during this anniversary

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · 15d

This.

I have seven part-time/consultant positions at the moment. Any writing or peer review I do beyond those contracts--including work on my own book and public-facing project--is unpaid time.

Having to say I'm an Independent Scholar feels untrue. I'm just dependent on more than one institution.

Liz Covart @lizcovart.bsky.social · 16d

Something I’ve been thinking about:

History as a profession has long relied on affiliation.

Your university or museum pays your salary, and in return, you give time to edit journals, peer review articles, write book reviews, consult on exhibits, and volunteer for institutional support. 1/

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · 15d

There is an incredible amount of good history being done at the local level and in small museums--the folks who will actually engage the public during this anniversary

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Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · 21d

This week's story is for fans of footnotes!

Read or subscribe: declarationstories.org/stories/self-evident-falsehood

Red background with swirling white pieces of paper at top and text in white: Declaration Stories, September 17, 2025. In the Scots Magazine, "An Englishman" complained about two phrases that have become the most well-known and treasured parts of the Declaration. At bottom, screenshot of an 18th century newspaper with second sentence of the Declaration, asterisk following "all men are created equal," and dagger following "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Sep 3

Shout out to @boston1775.bsky.social for doing a deep dive on Independence Booth a few years back, when I was first digging into what is now the latest story behind the Declaration of Independence for @declarationstories.bsky.social

Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · Sep 3

The Hartford Courant claims the title of the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States.

Two weeks after printing the Declaration of Independence, the Courant had news of a different Independence--a baby girl.

Read or subscribe: declarationstories.org/stories/independence-baby

Independence Baby — Declaration Stories

The Connecticut Courant reported both the Declaration of Independence and the baptism of Independence

declarationstories.org

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Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · Aug 21

Eight stories down, many more to come!

📬 declarationstories.org to read or subscribe

Learn about the earliest printings and translations, and all the people involved in the process of declaring independence

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 8

These booklets will include a short introduction from me, the full text as printed by John Dunlap, a brief timeline of the Declaration from the debates to the signing, and a list of the signers.

Available soon in bulk at a low cost, plus an opportunity to donate to support free distribution.

Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 8

Looking for a pocket Declaration of Independence? More than likely, it includes the Constitution.

It's SUPER important to read the Constitution, but for the 250th, it's also important to have handheld copies of the Declaration on its own, in its own context.

@declarationstories.bsky.social

Red corrogated cardboard torn to reveal a while background with text in dark blue and red reading:
Coming Soon
Handheld Declaration of Independence
declarationstories.org

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 7

Absolutely. And if they’d like to chat, I’m always happy to answer questions over email or Zoom in to class. Tis the season for talking about the Declaration!

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 7

Your students may benefit from the virtual tour of The Declaration's Journey at @amrevmuseum.bsky.social -- exhibit opens mid-October

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 5

There are so many interesting stories about the Declaration from 1776--it will be a fun read for the 250th in 2026!

Oxford Academic @oxfordacademic.bsky.social · Aug 5

Wonderful news @emilysneff.bsky.social !

Anything interesting our followers should know about this book while we wait for the cover drop? 👀

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 1

😊

Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Aug 1

A bit of good news on a Friday:

My book exists on the OUP website 🙌

When the Declaration of Independence Was News, coming April 15, 2026!

global.oup.com/academic/pro...

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Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · Jul 30

A Dunlap broadside left Philadelphia in July 1776 but never reached its intended destination. It will return to Philadelphia for The Declaration's Journey at @amrevmuseum.bsky.social

This week's story: declarationstories.org/stories/full-circle

Learn more: www.jewishexponent.com/museum-of-th...

Full Circle — Declaration Stories

Nearly 250 years after it was intercepted by the British, this Dunlap broadside is returning to Philadelphia

declarationstories.org

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Jul 29

“Telling Jonas Phillips’ full story is something the Museum of the American Revolution is uniquely qualified to do, and introducing people who come to the museum to this uniquely Philadelphian story is a great starting point for the exhibition.”

Museum of the American Revolution to Highlight Valuable Artifact With Jewish Connection

Explore the Museum of the American Revolution and discover the significance of the original Declaration of Independence broadsides.

www.jewishexponent.com

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Jul 24

Always good to see @kawulf.bsky.social in action! Talking Lineage and how genealogy really did actually exist in colonial British America

Photo of Karin Wulf at a podium that reads Historical Society of Pennsylvania with slide projected in the background on a white wall and grey chairs in the foreground

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Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · Jul 23

A cat lady, a closet of family papers, and the Declaration of Independence. In this week's story, learn about Isaiah Dunster's broadside, passed down to his daughter Hannah and eventually out of the family.

declarationstories.org/stories/in-the-family

White text on a red background reads: Declaration Stories, July 23, 2025, Among the papers in Hannah Dunster's closet was her father's copy of the Declaration of Independence. At the top of the image, white pieces of paper in flight. At the bottom, a detail of handwriting reading "Please keep it in the family."

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Declaration Stories @declarationstories.bsky.social · Jul 16

If you're going to have a short-lived newspaper, at least let it live through interesting times! That's the story behind the American Gazette, which featured the #DeclarationofIndependence #onthisday in 1776.

Read or subscribe: declarationstories.org/stories

White text on a red background reads Declaration Stories, July 16, 2025, The American Gazette only lasted six weeks, but those weeks coincided with the Declaration of Independence. Images include pieces of white paper in motion and a detail of an 18th century newspaper engraving with a winged figure holding a trumpet.

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Jul 15

This makes me so happy 😊

Me and @kawulf.bsky.social, back-to-back on @bfworld.bsky.social!

Screenshot of the Ben Franklin's World website with two rectangular graphics of 18th century manuscripts. Episodes are listed as Episode 416: Karin, Wulf, Lineage: Genealogy in Early America (left) and Episode 415: Emily Sneff, The Many Declarations of Independence (right)

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Emily Sneff @emilysneff.bsky.social · Jul 14

@joelherman.bsky.social ??

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