You guys know that I'm a history nut, with a particular interest in the Revolutionary War era. In that vein, I wanted to point out the significance of July 2, 1776, in US history.
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee, a Virginia delegate to the Second Continental Congress, introduced a resolution for independence from Great Britain. When Lee offered his resolution, it became apparent that New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina were not yet ready to join with the other colonies to declare independence. As it appeared that they may be inclined, or could be convinced, to do so at some later date, the Second Continental Congress agreed to delay the vote on the Lee's resolution until July 1. Shortly thereafter, the Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration of independence, in the event that the body did vote in favor of Lee's resolution. The committee members were John Adams (Massachusetts), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia).
The committee brought to the full Continental Congress their draft declaration on June 28, 1776.
On July 1, as previously agreed, the Continental Congress brought up Lee's resolution for debate. As the debate took place, it became apparent that the majority of delegations would vote in favor of the resolution. (Each colony had one vote, with the delegates of that colony each voting individually, and the overall votes of the colony's delegates determining how the colony voted.)
The delegates understood the seriousness of what they were contemplating, and felt that if they were to vote in favor of Lee's resolution, they should do so unanimously. To attempt to achieve that, they postponed the vote on the resolution until July 2.
When the vote was taken on July 2, 12 colonial delegations voted in favor of Lee's resolution, with New York abstaining. (New York's delegates had been sent to the Second Continental Congress with explicit instructions that they could not vote for independence.)
The resolution that Lee offered, and the delegates voted in favor of, states:
"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 connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."
On July 3rd, in a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams wrote:
"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, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
Adams felt the vote in favor of Lee's resolution was what should be celebrated, and not the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which took place on July 4, 1776. John Adams was a pretty smart man, but his prognostication of which day would be the most memorable in the history of America was off by two days.
In two days, I'll make my annual July 4th post, but ahead of that I also wanted to point out the significance of what took place on July 2, 1776.
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee, a Virginia delegate to the Second Continental Congress, introduced a resolution for independence from Great Britain. When Lee offered his resolution, it became apparent that New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina were not yet ready to join with the other colonies to declare independence. As it appeared that they may be inclined, or could be convinced, to do so at some later date, the Second Continental Congress agreed to delay the vote on the Lee's resolution until July 1. Shortly thereafter, the Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration of independence, in the event that the body did vote in favor of Lee's resolution. The committee members were John Adams (Massachusetts), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia).
The committee brought to the full Continental Congress their draft declaration on June 28, 1776.
On July 1, as previously agreed, the Continental Congress brought up Lee's resolution for debate. As the debate took place, it became apparent that the majority of delegations would vote in favor of the resolution. (Each colony had one vote, with the delegates of that colony each voting individually, and the overall votes of the colony's delegates determining how the colony voted.)
The delegates understood the seriousness of what they were contemplating, and felt that if they were to vote in favor of Lee's resolution, they should do so unanimously. To attempt to achieve that, they postponed the vote on the resolution until July 2.
When the vote was taken on July 2, 12 colonial delegations voted in favor of Lee's resolution, with New York abstaining. (New York's delegates had been sent to the Second Continental Congress with explicit instructions that they could not vote for independence.)
The resolution that Lee offered, and the delegates voted in favor of, states:
"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 connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."
On July 3rd, in a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams wrote:
"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, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
Adams felt the vote in favor of Lee's resolution was what should be celebrated, and not the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which took place on July 4, 1776. John Adams was a pretty smart man, but his prognostication of which day would be the most memorable in the history of America was off by two days.
In two days, I'll make my annual July 4th post, but ahead of that I also wanted to point out the significance of what took place on July 2, 1776.
