<Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> United States Declaration of Independence </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 1823 facsimile of the engrossed copy </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Created </Th> <Td> June--July 1776 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ratified </Th> <Td> July 4, 1776 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> Engrossed copy: National Archives Rough draft: Library of Congress </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Author (s) </Th> <Td> Thomas Jefferson et al. (engrosser: probably Timothy Matlack) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Signatories </Th> <Td> 56 delegates to the Continental Congress </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Purpose </Th> <Td> To announce and explain separation from Great Britain </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> United States Declaration of Independence </Th> </Tr>

When was the declaration of independence actually written