The University of Pennsylvania is commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States by engaging deeply with the Declaration of Independence through academic discussions and a unique hands-on replication project. Penn Today spoke with historian Daniel Richter, philosopher Jennifer Morton, and democratic governance expert Claire Finkelstein to explore the document's historical context, political ideas, and evolving legacy.
Penn's Common Press letterpress studio is actively recreating the Declaration using authentic 1776 methods, from papermaking to typesetting, as part of its yearlong "Typography of Independence" project. Copies are now coming off the press on handmade paper. Jessica Peterson said, "The idea that this loose group of states would declare war on the most powerful empire in the world through a paper document was so exciting and revolutionary at the time."
This initiative includes community-driven public engagement, such as workshops on traditional papermaking and typesetting, allowing participants to reinterpret lines from the founding document. Penn Libraries also offers insights into the objects and scholarly resources that illuminate the sentiments of the summer of 1776.
The Common Press will host printing workshops at the Museum of the American Revolution (MoAR) on July 2 and July 4, inviting attendees to consider "What does the pursuit of happiness mean to you?" This event is part of the broader "Typography of Independence" program, supported by the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.