Rare copy of Declaration of Independence discovered in UK National Archives after 250 years.
A volunteer at Britain's National Archives discovered a previously unknown copy of the Declaration of Independence among documents captured from the American privateer Dalton in December 1776. The document is one of only 11 known surviving Exeter printings, produced in New Hampshire July 16-19, 1776, and is the only such copy held outside the United States.
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Divergence score
9 outlets covered it, splitting into 9 framing camps across 3 bias groups.
9 camps
3 bias groups
The spectrum · how 9 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Washington Times
Newsmax
Breitbart
Financial Times
PBS NewsHour
Reuters
The Hill
NY Post
Jerusalem Post
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
First to report
- Financial Timesfirst
- Washington Times+0 min
- NY Post+1.4 h
- Reuters+14.3 h
- Newsmax+18.1 h
- The Hill+19.4 h
- PBS NewsHour+20.7 h
- Breitbart+38.7 h
- Jerusalem Post+62.1 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Coverage splits between archival significance and historical circumstance, some outlets emphasize the document's rarity and discovery narrative, while others center the privateer's capture and crew details.
How each outlet covered it
Only the right is covering this
One side of the spectrum has stayed silent. That absence is itself a signal.
0
LEFT OUTLETS
0 of 9 outlets covering this story sit on that side of the spectrum.
0LEFT OUTLETS
THE RIGHT
“Previously Unidentified Original Declaration of Independence Discovered in UK Royal Navy Archives”B Breitbart RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“Rare copy of Declaration of Independence found by UK National Archives in papers of captured U.S. privateer ship” · PBS NewsHour, Reuters, The Hill, Jerusalem Post
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 9 outlets put it
CENTER3
PBSPBS NewsHour Rare copy of Declaration of Independence found by UK National Archives in papers of captured U.S. privateer ship 70d ago RReuters 'Vanishingly rare' copy of U.S. Declaration of Independence unearthed in UK archives 70d ago HThe Hill Rare 'Exeter' copy of Declaration of Independence discovered in UK 70d ago RIGHT-CENTER1
FTFinancial Times UK finds lost US Declaration of Independence copy after 250 years - Financial Times 71d ago RIGHT4
WTWashington Times Britain's National Archives finds copy of Declaration of Independence in captured U.S. ship's papers 71d ago NMNewsmax Rare Declaration Copy Found in UK National Archives - Newsmax 70d ago BBreitbart Previously Unidentified Original Declaration of Independence Discovered in UK Royal Navy Archives 69d ago NYPNY Post Rare copy of Declaration of Independence found by UK National Archives in papers of captured US ship 71d ago 9 tracked claims across 9 outlets
Fact ledger
All9Claimed2Corroborated7
2/9
Claimed
The Dalton was captured off the coast of Portugal.
Corroborated
Disputed
8 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger