Americans are shocked after learning a WOMAN'S name appears in the Declaration of Independence: 'We have a Founding Mother!'

Americans cognize that 56 men signed nan Declaration of Independence, but what galore person precocious learned is that a woman's sanction appears connected nan documents.

A caller TikTok video, viewed complete 1 cardinal times, has gone viral aft sharing that 'Marry Katherine Goddard' sits astatine nan bottommost of nan page.

Goddard was not a signer but printed nan first transcript of nan Declaration of Independence for nan Continental Congress in 1777, marking herself arsenic nan first female authorities worker successful nan US.

At nan time, women were seen arsenic 2nd people citizens, they did not person voting authorities and were barred from holding positions successful publishing.

But Goddard was moving astatine her brother's newspaper successful Baltimore that was tasked pinch printing nan first copies of nan Declaration of Independence and she put her sanction connected each transcript that she put done nan printing press.

While her sanction has been cemented successful history since, galore group are conscionable now learning astir her communicative and are calling her 'our Founding Mother.'

The video has wracked up astir 300,00 likes and complete 1,000 comments, pinch users admitting they had nary idea.

Others shared really seeing Goddard's sanction made them 'very emotional, pinch immoderate stating they cried upon viewing nan short clip.

Goddard, calved successful Connecticut successful 1738  began printing for her brother's, William, insubstantial nan Maryland Journal and nan Baltimore Advertiser, but she did truthful nether 'M.K. Goddard' because women were prohibited from specified professions.

In December 1776, nan Continental Congress relocated to Baltimore conscionable blocks distant from nan paper.

And 1 period later, Goddard printed nan first type of nan archive to database nan names of astir of nan signers. 

Goddard's imprint astatine nan bottommost of nan archive identifies not only nan metropolis wherever she worked but besides her afloat name: 'Baltimore, successful Maryland: Printed by Mary Katharine Goddard.' 

'Goddard risked her life and her livelihood by including her ain sanction connected nan Declaration of Independence,' sounds a blog from the National Park Service.

The consequence was owed to consequences that could travel astir her defying nan roles of women, which whitethorn person included whipping aliases imprisonment. 

The first transcript of nan Declaration of Independence is besides different from nan 1 galore Americans cognize arsenic it was only signed by John Hancock, who was nan president of nan Continental Congress, and Charles Thomson, its secretary.  

Not only did Goddard expose herself to nan world, she besides unmakes nan 55 men who dared to defy tyranny and state independency from England.

Goddard again collapsed barriers of contented successful nan postal world by being 1 of nan first postmasters, caput of a station office, to usage a missive carrier. 

While she was a trailblazer of her time, misfortune struck erstwhile William fired her from nan paper. The logic is unknown, but reports suggested nan 2 ne'er said again.

Then successful 1789, a man pinch fewer qualifications took complete Goddard's domiciled arsenic postmaster. 

Maryland's politician and complete 230 Baltimore citizens signed a petition for her reinstatement and she went to nan Senate to plead for nan return of her position.

But nan Senate ne'er responded to her letter.

She past took her lawsuit to President George Washington pinch different letter.

'She has been discharged from her Office, without immoderate imputation of nan slightest fault,' nan missive stated.

Unlike nan Senate, Washington responded but not arsenic Goddard had hoped.

'I person uniformly avoided interfering pinch immoderate appointments which do not require my charismatic agency,' he replied.

Goddard ne'er worked pinch nan station agency aliases for a newspaper again but started her ain printing and bookbinding business that thrived for 20 years.

She died  at property 78 connected August 12, 1816. 

The TikTok video has brought her communicative backmost to life, pinch galore Americans being brought to tears aft learning astir Goddard.