Why did the Second Continental Congress draft the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in the history of the United States. It marked an official step taken by the American colonies toward independence from British rule.

Many colonists were unhappy with laws that collected taxes but did not give them a say in government. The Stamp Act of 1765, for example, collected taxes on items made of paper such as legal documents, newspapers, and even playing cards. The Townshend Acts of 1767 were a series of acts that involved taxing the colonies to raise revenue for Great Britain. The Boston Tea Party in 1773, when men boarded a ship full of British tea and dumped it into Boston Harbor, was a protest against taxation without representation. The discontent of the colonists, such as the colonial lack of participation in government, led to war with Great Britain.

During the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), delegates to the Second Continental Congress met in the summer of 1776 to discuss independence from Great Britain. On June 7, Richard Henry Lee, a statesman from Virginia, appointed a committee to investigate how the colonies could become independent. Lee called for the drafting of an official statement of independence. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman were instructed to draft a resolution. On July 2, 1776, the Congress voted to declare independence from England. After two days of debate and some changes to the document, the Congress voted to accept the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This action represented a formal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain.

10e. Second Continental Congress

Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

This rough draft of the Declaration of Independence was handwritten by Thomas Jefferson. It is believed that it was copied from several "creative drafts." The changes made from draft to final form help us understand more precisely the meanings the declaration committee intended.

Times had taken a sharp turn for the worse. Lexington and Concord had changed everything. When the Redcoats fired into the Boston crowd in 1775, the benefit of the doubt was granted. Now the professional imperial army was attempting to arrest patriot leaders, and minutemen had been killed in their defense. In May 1775, with Redcoats once again storming Boston, the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia.

The questions were different this time. First and foremost, how would the colonist meet the military threat of the British. It was agreed that a Continental Army would be created. The Congress commissioned George Washington of Virginia to be the supreme commander, who chose to serve without pay. How would supplies be paid for? The Congress authorized the printing of money. Before the leaves had turned, Congress had even appointed a standing committee to conduct relations with foreign governments, should the need ever arise to ask for help. No longer was the Congress dealing with mere grievances. It was a full-fledged governing body.

National Park Service

Independence Hall

Still, in May of 1775 the majority of delegates were not seeking independence from Britain. Only radicals like John Adams were of this mindset. In fact, that July Congress approved the Olive Branch Petition, a direct appeal to the king. The American delegates pleaded with George III to attempt peaceful resolution and declared their loyalty to the Crown. The King refused to receive this petition and instead declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion in August. Insult turned to injury when George ordered the hiring of Hessian mercenaries to bring the colonists under control. Americans now felt less and less like their English brethren. How could their fellow citizens order a band of ruthless, foreign goons? The moderate voice in the Continental Congress was dealt a serious blow.

As the seasons changed and hostilities continued, cries for independence grew stronger. The men in Philadelphia were now wanted for treason. They continued to govern and hope against hope that all would end well. For them, the summer of 1776 brought the point of no return — a formal declaration of independence.

Declaration of Independence
From John Adams to George Wyeth, short but elegant biographies of all the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. As if that's not enough, the producers of the page have given us biographies on some of the more famous members of Parliament such as Edmund Burke as well. This page also has a great historic documents section, with dozens of rare-on-the-Internet topics such as "A Proclamation by the King for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition." But wait, there's more! The page comes with a bibliography and dozens of images. OYEZ! OYEZ! BOOKMARK THIS SITE NOW and be guaranteed an "A" on your future endeavors.

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Continental Congress Lottery
Ever see those commercials for state lotteries that say profits will be used to pay for education and care of the elderly? Well, the government's been using lotteries to pay for things since the Colonial Era. This lottery page, written by a numismatist, (that's a coin expert), explains what the Congress was raising money for, how much tickets cost, who raised the money, and problems they ran into along the way. I don't know how useful the page is, but it's way cool and has a great link to a Colonial currency page.

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