Show HN: U.S. Declaration of Independence but as Google Doc Version History
A developer recreated the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a Google Doc version history, tracking each edit made by Thomas Jefferson and the Continental Congress. The project visualizes the document's drafting process, showing insertions, deletions, and comments as if it were a modern collaborative document.
Background
- This is a creative web project that presents the U.S. Declaration of Independence as if it were a Google Doc with version history, showing edits, typos, and revisions over time.
- "Google Doc version history" is a familiar feature for anyone who has used Google Docs — it tracks every change made to a document, who made it, and when, allowing you to see the document evolve.
- The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson and then revised by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and the Continental Congress before adoption on July 4, 1776.
- The original handwritten document actually does contain real edits and deletions (e.g., Jefferson's draft condemned the slave trade, but that passage was removed by Congress).
- "Show HN" refers to the Show section of Hacker News, a popular tech/startup community where people share personal projects.