Primary sourceDocument

Signature of Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams's handwritten autograph, familiar from his signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This is Samuel Adams's own handwritten signature, useful for comparing against documents he signed, such as the Declaration of Independence.

Ask Samuel Adams about this source View the original

Handwritten cursive signature in dark ink reading 'Sam'l Adams' with long flowing strokes on a light background. — Samuel Adams, signature.

About this source

What it is

This is a digital image of Samuel Adams's handwritten signature, reading "Sam'l Adams."

Why it matters

Signatures like this one appear on official documents, including the Declaration of Independence, and are used by historians to verify authorship and authenticity of papers connected to a person. Studying a figure's handwriting is a basic tool for understanding and confirming historical documents.

Look closer

What can handwriting tell historians about a document's authenticity?
Why might comparing signatures matter when studying old documents?
What does a signature not tell us about a person?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Samuel Adams on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Samuel Adams sources

Meet the AI Samuel Adams →

Scan of the engrossed Declaration of Independence on aged parchment. Heading reads 'In Congress, July 4, 1776' with the title 'The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America' below. Dense handwritten text fills the page; signatures appear at the bottom.

Document

Primary source

Declaration of Independence

Continental Congress (drafted by Thomas Jefferson) · 1776

Handwritten manuscript page in brown ink on aged paper, headed 'To Royall Tyler, James Otis, Thomas Cushing & Oxenbridge Thacher Esqrs. Gentlemen,' with a purple 'City of Boston' stamp along the left margin. Cursive text instructs town representatives.

Document

Primary source

Instructions of the Town of Boston to its Representatives

Samuel Adams · May 1764

Oil portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a dark red coat over a waistcoat and white cravat. He stands beside a table holding a rolled document and pointing at a sealed scroll with a green wax seal. Dark background.

Painting

Primary source

Samuel Adams

John Singleton Copley · 1772

Scan of the handwritten Articles of Confederation manuscript on aged, cream-colored paper. The ornate heading reads 'To all to whom these Presents shall come'. Dense cursive text fills the page in columns, with article headings visible.

Document

Primary source

Articles of Confederation

Continental Congress · 1777

Printed broadside of the Continental Association, dated Philadelphia, October 20, 1774, with large headline text and columns of dense type. Lists of signatures of delegates from colonies are printed at the bottom. Handwritten marks and notes appear at the lower left.

Document

Primary source

Continental Association

First Continental Congress · 20 October 1774

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Samuel Adams now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for free Get a quote for institutions