How the Deciding Vote for Independence Happened in 1776

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

Delayed until July 2, the vote for independence from England needed to be unanimous. Would all the colonies agree to it?

After fighting at Lexington and Concord, the colonial forces followed the British back to Boston, and kept them bottled up there. George Washington arrived to take command of the musket-toting farmers, woodsmen, and merchants. The British navy was powerless to help since winter weather had moved into colonial frozen harbors. But in March of 1776, the English sailed for New York to reinforce their troops.

At the same time, talk about cutting all ties with England grew in the colonies. Massachusetts was the first to pass a resolution for independence. In April, North Carolina took the same bold step, followed by Rhode Island, then Virginia. The idea of independence rapidly gained momentum. Only New York and Pennsylvania remained opposed.

Finally, on June 7, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia asked for a Congressional vote on an independence resolution that stated โ€œThat 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 connections between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.โ€

A simple majority of โ€œyesโ€ votes, however, was not enough. The decision had to be unanimous. If some colonies voted โ€œyesโ€ while others voted โ€œno,โ€ England could divide and conquer, making defeat certain.

Voting was delayed until July 2, 1776. During the weeks of waiting, Congress appointed a committee of five to prepare a declaration detailing the reason for a break with England. It was to be a formal statement, making clear to all men and governments that the colonial quarrel with England was much bigger than a tax dispute. It was a matter of who had the right to rule whom.

A Formal Declaration

For hundreds of years, kings, pharaohs, and emperors were thought to be the source of rights. Few dared to question that idea. Now the American colonies said: โ€œStep aside. We have rights by birth, not by decrees. Independence and nationhood are God-given, not government-given.โ€

The five-man committee appointed to prepare a formal Declaration of Independence asked Thomas Jefferson of Virginia to do the writing. The tall, freckled, sandy-haired Jefferson had few equals with pen and paper. A writer he was but a speaker he was not. In fact, he hadnโ€™t attempted a single speech during his year in Congress.

While Jefferson searched for the exact words, men like John Adams and his cousin Samuel, hammered home the idea of independence to undecided delegates, particularly those from Pennsylvania, New York, and South Carolina.

Byย Sally Humphries

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Peace In Ukraine Wonโ€™t End The Westโ€™s Hybrid War On Russia

The Westโ€™s Hybrid War on Russia to follow peace in Ukraine is inevitable due to neoconservatives and liberal-globalists in its decision-making ecosystem.

Was Texas Storm Manmade?

Another โ€œ1-in-100 yearsโ€ weather event in Kerr County happened next to a Texas designated โ€œWeather Modification Map of Rain-Enhancement Projects in Texasโ€.

The America Party Will Harm Democrats The Most

Elon Musk formed the America Party after an X poll asking his followers if they wanted โ€œindependence from the two-party system!

Democrats Exhibit the Dunning-Kruger Effect (DKE)

โ€œThe Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability at a task overestimate their competence, while those with high ability underestimate their competence.

250 Countdown

Those 56 intrepid men who signed put their very lives, honor and fortunes on the line. There was no auto-quill to accommodate their signatures.ย 

Existing US Energy Generation Retirements Increase Blackout Risk by 100 Times in 2030: DOE

Planned retirement of more than 100 gigawatts of power generation capacity by end of the decade could increase risk of blackouts in the US by 100 times.

Los Angeles Mayor Confronts Federal Immigration Officers at MacArthur Park

After decrying federal immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass confronted ICE officers as they gathered at a city park.

Trial Begins Over Trump Adminโ€™s Deportations of Pro-Palestinian Students

A trial over President Trumpโ€™s attempts to deport pro-Palestinian activists began on July 7 with attorneys debating free speech.

Man Killed After Opening Fire at Border Patrol Facility in Texas

27-year-old man armed with a rifle was killed after opening fire outside Border Patrol facility in McAllen, TX, prompting shootout with feds and local police.

Trump Extends Federal Hiring Freeze Until October

Trump issued memo extending federal hiring freeze until Oct. 15, maintaining exemptions for positions related to the armed forces and public safety.

US to Send More Defensive Weapons to Ukraine

The Pentagon is sending more defensive weapons to Ukraine amid the Eastern European countryโ€™s ongoing war with Russia.

Trump to Extend Tariff Deadline to Aug. 1, Keep Rates at 10 Percent During Talks

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump will sign the order to move the deadline to Aug. 1 from its current date of July 9.

DOJ, FBI Find Epstein Committed Suicide, Had No โ€˜Client Listโ€™

Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide and had no โ€œclient list,โ€ according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI.
spot_img

Related Articles