“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Replica of the Declaration of Independence
1823
William J. Stone Engraving, 40 x 35 inches
Gift of David M. Rubenstein
In 2013, David M. Rubenstein made a gift to FAPE of a rare copy of the 1823 Stone Declaration of Independence for each U.S. embassy. Mr. Rubenstein, a preeminent collector of historical documents related to American history, acquired an original version of the 1823 Stone Declaration of Independence, which is on loan to the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms.
“Without a doubt, the most symbolic document of our country’s founding principles is the Declaration of Independence. I am pleased that—because of FAPE’s great work—our embassies will be displaying this symbol of our nation and its commitment to freedom and equality.”
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It officially established the United States of America, and provided a formal explanation of why Congress had voted to declare independence from Great Britain.
July 4, or Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It is commonly associated with fireworks, parades and barbecues.
The 1823 Stone Declaration of Independence is a treasure of American history. In 1820, after growing concern regarding the deteriorating condition of the original document, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned engraver William J. Stone to reproduce the document in an Act of Congress. By June 5, 1823, 47 years after Thomas Jefferson first drafted the Declaration, it was announced that, “Mr. William J. Stone, a respectable and enterprising Engraver of this City, has, after a labor of three years, completed a facsimile of the original of the Declaration of Independence, now in the archives of the government,” and that, “it is executed with the greatest exactness and fidelity.”