The thirteen American colonies, as you may recall, were unable to gain fair representation in the government of Great Britain. As a result of a series of complex negotiations, the colonies chose Thomas Jefferson to compose a draft of a "Declaration of Independence". Of course, this document had to be ratified and properly signed by representatives from each of the colonies. Getting roughly 56 delegates scattered among the colonies to sign off on the deal on a tight deadline was going to be a logistical nightmare. Horses and carriages, equipped with a custom-made seating for human transport, were used to assemble all of the delegates in one place. The idea was to give the participants a means to travel a long distance in relative comfort.
John Adams was quoted as saying, "We would not have a Declaration of Independence without those horses." The dimutive James Madison vehemently disagreed, putting all the credit on the carriages. It came as no surprise that John Hancock, well known for his gigantic signature, disagreed with both Adams and Madison, arguing that it was the pen that really sealed the deal.
It's too bad no one thought of iPads.