A Rare Printing of the ABD Bağımsızlık Bildirisi Found in Britanya Arşivlerinde

As Amerika's 250. kuruluş yıldönümü approaches, a magnificent gift for American historians has appeared in the display cases. In the national archives in London, the capital of Birleşik Krallık, one of the rarest prints of the ABD Bağımsızlık Bildirisi ever found has been unearthed. This historical document belongs to one of the versions printed in the city of Exeter in the New Hampshire state of Amerika Birleşik Devletleri. All other previously found examples of this version, known as the Exeter baskısı, were found within Amerika borders, and therefore this discovery is of great importance as it is the first example identified outside of ABD. The discovery has created a great source of excitement for both archivists and the world of history, while details about the document's historical process and how it got here have also become a subject of curiosity.

In early Temmuz 1776, an emergency printing campaign had been launched to spread the news of independence as quickly as possible in the thirteen Britanya colonies of the time. Immediately after the signing of the Declaration, this process was accelerated between 16 and 19 Temmuz, and the text was printed to be announced to the public. Michael Scurr, a volunteer at the Ulusal Arşivler in London, stumbled upon this historical piece by chance. While examining the records of a Britanya captain regarding the capture of the American pirate ship Dalton, Scurr noticed a suspicious page among the files. Contrary to what was thought, this parchment, which looked quite insignificant and was labeled in a simple way, was actually a copy of that famous document that changed the course of history. In the documents, in the attachment of the military report regarding the capture of the Dalton ship, this paper, noted only as "one more document", revealed its true value when brought to light.

Beyond being an ordinary print, this discovered copy possesses a single feature that distinguishes it from others and makes it even more valuable. Britanya arşivi authorities confirmed that among all Bağımsızlık Bildirisi copies identified so far, this is the only example seized as booty during a military operation. This copy of the Declaration had fallen into the hands of the İngiliz Donanması after a drama that took place off the coast of Portekiz on Christmas Eve of 1776. The American ship named Dalton was forcibly stopped by the Britanya after a chase that lasted hours, and this document was taken from the ship when it was searched. At that time, for a ship to be counted as booty and for the captain to receive a reward, the seized documents and evidence had to be carefully recorded; this procedure ensured the historical document survived to this day and was preserved in the archives.

This dramatic story of Amerika's struggle for freedom resonated greatly on the other side of the ocean and received full marks from historians. Matthew Skic, the director of the Amerikan Devrimi Müzesi in Philadelphia, expressed his excitement about the discovery with these words: "This Bağımsızlık Bildirisi copy allows us to make a direct connection with Dalton's captain. The captain wanted to announce the news of Amerika's independence to the world, and this paper is proof of that purpose." Skic added to his evaluation: "This document is not just a piece of paper, it is like a time machine that allows us to make a tangible connection with the past. That paper held in an archivist's hand takes us directly back to 1776, to the excitement and chaos of that era." These expressions reveal that the discovery is not just an academic curiosity, but also a collective longing and respect for an important turning point in human history.

This unique historical artifact will be opened to the public coinciding exactly with the 250th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Amerika Birleşik Devletleri. The archive directorate in London is preparing a special exhibition for the document to be visible to visitors during this important period. The exhibition will offer both British and American history enthusiasts the opportunity to remember the complex past and shared history of the two nations. This rare printing moves from the archive shelves to museum display cases not just as a document, but as a memento of great significance for both countries and world history.