Continental Congress declares independence from England & King George III
1 of the myths of American history is that the United States declared independence on 4 July 1776. The truth is a little more complicated.
What actually happenned is this, on 2 July 1776 the 2nd Contanental Congress voted on a resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee that said "Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and, of right, ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion between them, and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." It passed 12-0 with 1 colony abstaining, New York.
In a letter to his wife Abigail, dated 3 July 1776 John Adams wrote describing what happened: "Yesterday the greatest Question was decided, which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps, never was or will be decided among Men. A Resolution was passed without one dissenting Colony 'that these united Colonies, are, and of right ought to be free and independent States, and as such, they have, and of Right ought to have full Power to make War, conclude Peace, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and Things, which other States may rightfully do.' You will see in a few days a Declaration setting forth the Causes which have impell'd Us to this mighty Revolution, and the Reasons which will justify it in the Sight of God and Man. A Plan of Confederation will be taken up in a few days."
In a 2nd letter to Abigail also written 3 July 1776 John Adams said the following: "But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.- I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by Solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfire and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
"You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. - I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. - Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."
By now I can here you saying: "So why do we celebrate what Independence Day on 4 July 1776?" The answer is simple, that is the date that Congress approved the final text of the Declaration of Independence. If you look at a copy of the Declaration you will see that the 1st line says: "In Congress, July 4, 1776". (A copy of the Declaration can be found at
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Us_declaration_independence.jpg )
Here is a timeline of how it happenned:
15 May 1776: The Virginia Convention instructs its delegates to introduce a resolution declaring independence from England.
7 June 1776: Richard Henry Lee introduces the resolution. John Adams probably 2nded it. Debate is postponed until the next day.
8 June 1776: As a committe of the whole, Congress starts debate.
10 June 1776: After taking Sunday off debate continues. Further debate is postponed until 1 July 1776. A committee consisting of John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert Livingston of New York is formed to draft a declaration about the resolution.
11 June 1776: The committee begins its work. Jefferson is given the job of writing it. Over the next 3 weeks he completes the job. Adams & Franklin view it & make a few small changes.
28 June 1776: The Declaration is read to Congress & tabled til after the resolution is voted on.
1 July 1776: Debate begins. The vote is postponed until 2 July 1776. Because of the importance of this resolution Congress wants a unamimous vote, which wasn't there when a preliminary vote was taken earlier.
2 July 1776: The final vote is taken. Independence is declared. Debate on the Declaration begins.
4 July 1776: After about 80 changes (additions, deletions, rewordings) the Declaration is approved & the final draft sent to the printer. As shown above, the date on it exerted great influence that quickly lead to the 4th being considered the birth of the United States of America.
As I noted, the 1st vote was anything but unanamous. Each colony had 1 vote in Congress, based on the majority vote of the delegates from that colony. When evenly split, the vote was considered to be in the negative.
The biggest opponant to declaring independence was John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. He was opposed to the colonies being treated the way they were by Parliament. In 1767 he wrote a series of articles called Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer that stated the colonists objections to the tax acts. In 1775 with Thomas Jefferson he cowrote A Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. But he felt that a reconciliation could be brought about. When he saw that the sentiments of Congress were in favor of independence, he along with another Pennsylvania delegate who opposed independence stayed away so that Pennsylvania's vote would be, by majority vote, aye. At this point he left Congress & was appointed a Brigadier-General in the Continental Army by Col. Thomas McKean who was also President of Delaware. Dickinson returned to Congress in 1779 as a delegate from Deleware. He helped draft the Articles of Confederation approved in 1781, was a part of the Constitutional Convention & worked for its passage afterwords.
This majority vote issue was even more important to the Delaware delegation. Only 2 of the 3 delegates were there. Colonel Thomas McKean was in favor of independence, George Read was opposed to independence. The 3rd delegate, Caesar Rodney was back home in Dover. Knowing the final vote was coming up, he left home on 1 July to travel on horseback to Philadelphia. He was suffering from cancer of the skin in his face as well as asthma, but was so great a patriot that despite his poor health, the severe heat & thunderstorms he was willing to do what he needed to do to see that the resolution passed. He was honored for this on the 1999 Delaware state quarter.
New York's abstention was based on instructions from their legislature. Many of their delegates were in favor of it. It wasn't until after the vote that New York's legislature retroactively gave their OK. Abstentions didn't count as being a vote against but was seen the same as not voting at all, so the resolution was consider as passing unanamously.
Even though the emphasis is on the 4th, today is still important. If the Congress had not declared independence, there would have been no need for the Declaration to have ever been debated & approved. It is right that we celebrate on the 4th, but we should begin that celebration today. The event is such a great 1 that a 3 day celebration is appropriate.
Tommorrow: John Adams, the real, if somewhat forgotten til recently, hero behind our Independence.
What actually happenned is this, on 2 July 1776 the 2nd Contanental Congress voted on a resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee that said "Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and, of right, ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion between them, and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." It passed 12-0 with 1 colony abstaining, New York.
In a letter to his wife Abigail, dated 3 July 1776 John Adams wrote describing what happened: "Yesterday the greatest Question was decided, which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps, never was or will be decided among Men. A Resolution was passed without one dissenting Colony 'that these united Colonies, are, and of right ought to be free and independent States, and as such, they have, and of Right ought to have full Power to make War, conclude Peace, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and Things, which other States may rightfully do.' You will see in a few days a Declaration setting forth the Causes which have impell'd Us to this mighty Revolution, and the Reasons which will justify it in the Sight of God and Man. A Plan of Confederation will be taken up in a few days."
In a 2nd letter to Abigail also written 3 July 1776 John Adams said the following: "But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.- I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by Solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfire and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
"You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. - I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. - Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."
By now I can here you saying: "So why do we celebrate what Independence Day on 4 July 1776?" The answer is simple, that is the date that Congress approved the final text of the Declaration of Independence. If you look at a copy of the Declaration you will see that the 1st line says: "In Congress, July 4, 1776". (A copy of the Declaration can be found at
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Us_declaration_independence.jpg )
Here is a timeline of how it happenned:
15 May 1776: The Virginia Convention instructs its delegates to introduce a resolution declaring independence from England.
7 June 1776: Richard Henry Lee introduces the resolution. John Adams probably 2nded it. Debate is postponed until the next day.
8 June 1776: As a committe of the whole, Congress starts debate.
10 June 1776: After taking Sunday off debate continues. Further debate is postponed until 1 July 1776. A committee consisting of John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert Livingston of New York is formed to draft a declaration about the resolution.
11 June 1776: The committee begins its work. Jefferson is given the job of writing it. Over the next 3 weeks he completes the job. Adams & Franklin view it & make a few small changes.
28 June 1776: The Declaration is read to Congress & tabled til after the resolution is voted on.
1 July 1776: Debate begins. The vote is postponed until 2 July 1776. Because of the importance of this resolution Congress wants a unamimous vote, which wasn't there when a preliminary vote was taken earlier.
2 July 1776: The final vote is taken. Independence is declared. Debate on the Declaration begins.
4 July 1776: After about 80 changes (additions, deletions, rewordings) the Declaration is approved & the final draft sent to the printer. As shown above, the date on it exerted great influence that quickly lead to the 4th being considered the birth of the United States of America.
As I noted, the 1st vote was anything but unanamous. Each colony had 1 vote in Congress, based on the majority vote of the delegates from that colony. When evenly split, the vote was considered to be in the negative.
The biggest opponant to declaring independence was John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. He was opposed to the colonies being treated the way they were by Parliament. In 1767 he wrote a series of articles called Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer that stated the colonists objections to the tax acts. In 1775 with Thomas Jefferson he cowrote A Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. But he felt that a reconciliation could be brought about. When he saw that the sentiments of Congress were in favor of independence, he along with another Pennsylvania delegate who opposed independence stayed away so that Pennsylvania's vote would be, by majority vote, aye. At this point he left Congress & was appointed a Brigadier-General in the Continental Army by Col. Thomas McKean who was also President of Delaware. Dickinson returned to Congress in 1779 as a delegate from Deleware. He helped draft the Articles of Confederation approved in 1781, was a part of the Constitutional Convention & worked for its passage afterwords.
This majority vote issue was even more important to the Delaware delegation. Only 2 of the 3 delegates were there. Colonel Thomas McKean was in favor of independence, George Read was opposed to independence. The 3rd delegate, Caesar Rodney was back home in Dover. Knowing the final vote was coming up, he left home on 1 July to travel on horseback to Philadelphia. He was suffering from cancer of the skin in his face as well as asthma, but was so great a patriot that despite his poor health, the severe heat & thunderstorms he was willing to do what he needed to do to see that the resolution passed. He was honored for this on the 1999 Delaware state quarter.
New York's abstention was based on instructions from their legislature. Many of their delegates were in favor of it. It wasn't until after the vote that New York's legislature retroactively gave their OK. Abstentions didn't count as being a vote against but was seen the same as not voting at all, so the resolution was consider as passing unanamously.
Even though the emphasis is on the 4th, today is still important. If the Congress had not declared independence, there would have been no need for the Declaration to have ever been debated & approved. It is right that we celebrate on the 4th, but we should begin that celebration today. The event is such a great 1 that a 3 day celebration is appropriate.
Tommorrow: John Adams, the real, if somewhat forgotten til recently, hero behind our Independence.
Labels: John Adams
posted by Al @ 12:13 AM
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