Declaration of Independence

In the wake of the publication of Common Sense and the arrival of Hessian soldiers, by the spring of 1776, public sentiment in most of the colonies was leaning towards independence.  The Second Continental Congress was reluctant to address it formally because only about two thirds of the colonies (mainly the northern ones) were for it.  On June 5th Richard Henry Lee presented the Resolution drafted by the Virginia legislature to declare the colonies free and independent states.  A Committee was formed to draft a statement to present to the world the rationale behind it.  Congress then recessed for three weeks and took up the debate on July 1st.  Primarily drafted by Jefferson with some input from Franklin and Adams, Congress substantially revised it over the next two days.

The document was formally approved on the morning of July 4th.

Only 12 of the colonies actually voted as New York's legislature did not meet until July 9th.  Legislation was passed in Congress on July 19 requiring every member to sign the Declaration although it took a few weeks for Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton to do it.  Fifty-six delegates finally did with their signatures arranged geographically by colony.  Absent were John Dickenson who wanted to reconcile with Britain and Robert Livingston who thought it premature.