July 4, 2026 - “A Revolutionary Idea: A Short History of the Declaration of Independence” is a new book published June 22 that swiftly and vividly tells how scribbled pages, stuffed with Enlightenment ideas and ideals, as well as complaints and grievances, came to be the one-page founding document of a new nation — one whose method of creation was utterly unique and unprecedented.

The compact, accessible book guides readers through the summer of 1776 day by day, highlighting the journey through which the Declaration was drafted, revised and adopted by the Continental Congress, and then distributed throughout the 13 former colonies and the world. “A Revolutionary Idea” features archival images, historical maps and new artwork to convey the story of the Declaration of Independence in fresh and compelling ways.

The Library of Congress protects and preserves many historic artifacts, but none are more significant than the nation’s founding documents. In addition to housing the parchment Declaration of Independence from 1921 to 1952, the Library currently holds:

• Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft and manuscript copies he made for others.
• Two copies of the first broadside printed on July 4, 1776, by John Dunlap (one of which belonged to George Washington).
• More than a dozen newspaper printings made as the text circulated throughout North America in 1776.
• Mary Katherine Goddard’s 1777 broadside edition, the first to publish the names of the Declaration’s signers.

In “A Revolutionary Idea,” readers learn all about these different copies and their significance in the context of the American Revolution.

The new book accompanies the Library’s exhibition, “The Declaration’s Promise: A Revolutionary Idea,” located in the David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery. The exhibition opens on July 3, 2026, and will be on view through July 3, 2027.

Published by the Library of Congress, “A Revolutionary Idea” is available exclusively in the Library of Congress Store.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.



Source: LOC