On July 4 - after ratifying the text - the Congress disseminated the Declaration in various forms. It was initially published in John Dunlap's flyer, which was widely distributed and read to the public. The original copy used for this printing has been lost and may have been in the hands of Jefferson. The original draft with the corrections of Adams and Benjamin Franklin and the additional notes of Jefferson on the changes made by the Congress are kept in the Library of Congress.
The main objective of the publication of the Declaration of Independence, was that the largest number of settlers knew of the situation of the nation, and its relationship with the metropolis. Another objective was that the settlers begin a process of recognition of the new country that was formed incipiently.
