there was a trial held in boston where people like john hancock and other figures in the community were brought together to basically put her on trial, ask her questions to try to determine if it was possible that this african-american woman could have written poetry like this. of course, she passed. and they actually wrote a testimonial saying that they believed that she, in fact, had been the talented writer who produced this poetry. and so, in 1773, she traveled to london and this volume was published. it is also remarkable in that we have an engraved image presumably a good, physical likeness of phyllis wheatley. this volume, and i will turn the page to show you, is also, as it would be wonderful even by itself, but it is one of the few examples that have actually come down to us with phillis wheatley's signature on the volume. and it just does not get better than that. you know, trying to find the tangible objects that allow us to discuss the very important contributions of african americans to the founding period of our nation. it can be a real struggle as a curator to find this m

so, to save time, congressional president john hancock is the only signer that day.ntil one month later, on august 2nd, that his fellow congressmen attach their names to the declaration. >> news of independence spreads throughout the colonies, now the 13 united states of america. general george washington stands at the head of an army that will soon fight as a nation of free people. >> sir. >> well, what do we have here? they did it! >> congress has given washington what he wants. they've declared independence. and now, all he has to do is confront the greatest army on the planet. [ insects chirping ] >> with staten island overrun by british troops, and the royal navy soon to join them, washington assembles his american army and equips them with a powerful weapon -- their freedom. >> "when, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people..." >> the declaration of independence was, in a sense, a propaganda tool, as well as everything else. and washington especially knew this. the soldiers needed to know what they were fighting for. >> "we hold these

why we are celebrating independence day, and can you get as close to the original document as john hancockn you read the text, but they have a high resolution scan of the original parchment, and you can be the historian of your own backyard party, and this is cool. they have the signers, all the people that sign the declaration of independence, and it has their resume and you can get their personal history and see where they went to school and what led them down the path to our declaration of independence. >> how did we used to survive without the apps? >> we had to call somebody or have a betty crocker cookbook. >> and that was before lincoln, and now we can find out about him. >> thank you. >> like your holiday shirt, too. >>> and let's check out what is coming up on "fox & friends," the producer that did not hear back from the fbi on what happened in orlando. >> everybody talking about what unfolded in orlando, and then the producer that asked the questions, here's a look. >> why can't we get an explanation about that? doesn't the public have the right to know why their money is being s

. >> everybody talked about john hancock's cursive.ow big his name was. >> things have changed 240 years later. but the visitors we spoke to say they hope the lesson live on. >> the things in the document are meant to be there forever. >> i'm christine, abc7 news. at 6:00", what you need to know before heading out to see the 4th of july fireworks show from the weather to the crowds and security. what we are learning about the investigation into a virginia teen who stepped on to an explosive in central park. >> we have seen 11,000 flutes purchased by the pentagon. a $75,000 cello. the pentagon needs to prioritize the spending. michelle: that is your tax dollars at work. the millions spent on military bands and the move in congress to change that. >> now "abc7 news at 6:00". on your side. leon: right now off the top at 6:00, all eyes remaining on the skies as thousands are getting ready to head out for the 4th of july fireworks. maureen: we hope that the rain will hold off long enough for the event tonight. some areas, though, have alrea

of town. >> i like that tre value go guy. >> why do we say john hancock? they were both abroad. >> let's see if we can get back to the liberty bell. >> that was the declaration, not the constitution, right? >> that was the constitution. >> can you see i'm really enjoying this? >> having a good time. >> how much does the liberty bell weigh? what do you think? 950? >> what about for the people on the radio? >> 950, 1,200, 2,080 or 3,000 pounds? >> i took the tour at the liberty bell. >> do you remember what they said? >> i'm going with "b." >> the answer is -- brian, you're wrong. the answer is "c." >> take that, brian. >> made off tin, traces of lead, zinc, arsenic, gold and silver. >> really? >> how much do you do? do you walk around philadelphia all the time reinvigorating your knowledge of history? >> all the time. >> all right. >> i will say this about my mike jerick. i had dinner with him in philadelphia. he is pretty much the mayor of this team. >> i'm sure. >> who paid? >> i did. >> of course. >> which movie was not filmed in philadelphia? rocky, the

in the big chair behind you you had john hancock. >> the declaration of independence. >> what a symbolell is. >> it is. >> the bronze came from england. >> yes. >> but it was made here and originally used to do what? >> call the meetings of the pennsylvania assembly. >> what does this crack represent to you? how do you smain explain it? >> the crack represents the ideas and the dreams of all the people all over the world. our life isn't perfect. that's what that crack represents. >> so the final resting place of benjamin franklin. >> yep. >> maybe the most beloved in philadelphia history. and here is his grave site with his wife. and he wrote his own epitaph. that said -- >> if you will not be forgotten as soon as you're dead and gone. >> i love that. >> and you were dying to see this again. >> i love terri. >> if this doesn't work out, maybe i'll go work there. lonely planet. >> showing us around philadelphia. remember the tavern one. >>> so donald trump focusing on issues of crime and corruption in his acceptance speech. president obama says he painted way too dark a picture. why he

it was not john hancock. two in congress. they were the only two. an inky crossed out jefferson draft version in which there were a lot of changes by the way. the most important was deleting the reference to slavery. >> one more question. >> what day did johned a a think we would celebrate. >> "c." >> i'm going "c" also. >> july 2nd is correct. he wrote a wonderful letter to his wife that we would celebrate with pomp. he was right about the celebration but wrong about the celebration. we really should be having a three-day weekend every year from the second through fourth of july. >> they come out and read it for the first time on the fourth of july. >> it was july 5th because they went late into the day. >> oh, that's right. >> by the next year it was a full celebration. by the way, washington read it here in new york on july 9th when it was brought to him. >> interesting stuff. >> it's not boring. >> and your new book "the history of america at war." >> thank you. >>> hillary clinton claims what really went down between her husband and loretta lyn

john griese. alec stewart was a cooper, it's a barrel maker. he lived up maker. he lived up in hancock county which is one of our remote counties and john rice irwin is the creator of appalachia and he interviewed alex stored about his life. he was a a remarkable man. he can make anything. he could pull teeth, he he could catch a squirrel, skillet, fright, eat it. he was so interesting that he was invited to washington to be part of the smithsonian folk festival on time. if you want to get a sense of how some mountain people lived and totally off the land, alec stewart, john reiser. >> a lot of things politicians from tennessee, that jane's couple of presidents andrew jackson, what about biographies of them. well i will mention two. american john beauchamp's best book, i like i like the way john beauchamp writes, in fact he wrote a book called american gospel that not many people know about, it's a short book about i think that's the name of it. the role of religion in america. his jackson book won the pulitzer prize. it is the best book about polk. i have read polk's pokes diaries. af

fox's john scott has the story from fort hancock, new jersey. >> reporter: the jersey shore, 130 milesst known for its boardwalks, arcades and amusement parks. ♪ >> reporter: but it's also home to one of the most important and effective military installations in u.s. history. fort hancock in sandy hook, new jersey. >> fascinating thank about this place it's seen virtually every armed conflict going back to the revolutionary war through the cold war. >> that's correct. >> the sandy hook lighthouse is which sits behind us was built in 1764. it's the oldest operating lighthouse in the united states. >> reporter: lighthouse at sandy hook it will almost continuously for 252 years. its flame he can tin distinguished only during world wars one and two to camouflage the fort on which it stands. ♪ >> reporter: throughout its long and unique history this beacon stood fast against the ravages of time and enemy combatants. >> the lighthouse itself had an interesting story during of the revolutionary war. it was actually defended by the british. the patriots were looking to stake the light away. di

john connoren 12 demanding with a special council. she could ret accuse herself entirely. i think we have her explaining to jonathan hancock today in aspen why this is not a resus sal, she'll still be involved in the case. >> i wouldn't be briefed on what the findings were or what the actions going forward would be. and while i don't have a role in those findings in coming up with those findings or making those recommendations as to how to go forward, i'll be briefed on it. >> what she hasn't said is what the sometiming is going to be. as far as we know, the fbi still has not interviewed hillary clinton. >> it seems pretty clear that the justice -- the way this normally works is the fbi investigates, the fbi makes a recommendation or the justice department, now that's always true in any criminal case because the fbi doesn't get to prosecute anybody. that's not their job. they make a recommendation to justice, it goes to the career folks, what she's saying here is that senior career people will look at it and ultimately she will, but kate asked her today, what's the timing. how soon will you make this decision? and she said