Rare 18th-Century Printing of the Declaration of Independence Found in UK National Archives
英國國家檔案館發現 18 世紀罕見的《獨立宣言》印刷本
Introduction
A rare 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence has been discovered in the National Archives in London after nearly 250 years.
一份 1776 年罕見的《獨立宣言》印刷本，在經過近 250 年後，於倫敦的國家檔案館被發現。
Main Body
The document is known as an 'Exeter printing,' which was produced in Exeter, New Hampshire, shortly after the Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776. This copy is one of only eleven known surviving examples and is the only one located outside the United States. The document was originally on the American privateer ship Dalton, led by Captain Eleazer Johnson. On December 24, 1776, after a seven-hour battle off the coast of Portugal, the Dalton was captured by the British ship HMS Raisonnable.
這份文件被稱為「艾克塞特印刷本」，是在 1776 年 7 月 4 日《獨立宣言》通過後，於新罕布什亞州的艾克塞特印製的。此副本是已知僅存的 11 份之一，且是唯一一份位於美國以外的副本。該文件原屬於美國私掠船 Dalton 號，由 Eleazer Johnson 船長率領。1776 年 12 月 24 日，在葡萄牙海岸經歷七小時的激戰後，Dalton 號被英國軍艦 HMS Raisonnable 俘獲。
When the British Royal Navy took over the ship, they seized several documents, including the Declaration. However, British officials listed it as a general document, which is why it remained hidden in the archives for so long. The item was finally rediscovered in May by Michael Scurr, a volunteer researcher, while he was organizing Royal Navy records. After the discovery, the National Archives used professional conservation methods to stabilize the paper and fix a small tear.
當英國皇家海軍接管該船時，他們沒收了數份文件，其中包括《獨立宣言》。然而，英國官員將其列為一般文件，這就是為什麼它在檔案館中隱藏了這麼久。這件物品最終在 5 月由一名志願研究員 Michael Scurr 在整理皇家海軍記錄時重新發現。發現後，國家檔案館採用專業的修復方法來穩定紙張並修補了一個小撕裂口。
Experts believe that having the document on a privateer ship shows that it was used to explain the political goals of the crew. Professor Nicholas Guyatt from the University of Cambridge emphasized that the fact British officials originally missed the document's importance shows why it is still necessary to physically examine archives to improve our historical knowledge.
專家認為，該文件出現在私掠船上，顯示其被用於向船員解釋政治目標。劍橋大學的 Nicholas Guyatt 教授強調，英國官員最初忽略了該文件的重要性，說明了為何現在仍有必要對檔案進行實體檢查，以增進我們對歷史的認識。
Conclusion
The document has been restored and remains at the National Archives, offering valuable insight into how revolutionary ideas spread at the time.
該文件已完成修復並留在國家檔案館，為當時革命思想如何傳播提供了寶貴的見解。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'Passive' Power-Up
At the A2 level, you usually say: "The British ship captured the Dalton." This is fine, but it's simple. To move toward B2, you need to shift the focus of your sentences. In the article, we see a sophisticated use of the Passive Voice to emphasize the object or the action rather than the person doing it.
Observe these transformations from the text:
- A2 Style: "People discovered a rare printing." B2 Style: "A rare 1776 printing... has been discovered."
- A2 Style: "The British captured the Dalton." B2 Style: "the Dalton was captured by the British ship."
- A2 Style: "The Navy seized several documents." B2 Style: "they seized several documents... [which] remained hidden."
Why does this matter for B2? When you describe history, news, or professional processes, the person performing the action is often less important than the result. Using the passive voice makes your English sound more objective, formal, and academic.
🔍 The "Precision" Upgrade
B2 speakers stop using generic words like "get" or "put" and start using Precise Verbs. Look at how the author describes the document's recovery:
- Stabilize (not just 'fix') To make something firm and steady.
- Seize (not just 'take') To take something by force or legal authority.
- Emphasize (not just 'say') To give special importance to a point.
Pro Tip: Next time you want to say "The expert said that it is important," try: "The expert emphasized the importance of..." This one change pushes your speaking level from basic to intermediate-advanced.