In celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the US, we’re specializing in key occasions within the historical past of independence. Immediately’s publish seems to be on the early months of the Second Continental Congress.
Earlier than the First Continental Congress adjourned in October 1774, its members agreed to reconvene in Philadelphia on Could 10, 1775. By the point Congress met once more, the Battles of Lexington and Harmony had occurred and the siege of Boston was beneath means—the de facto authorities had rather a lot to do.
Peyton Randolph was elected president of the Congress however was compelled to return to Virginia in late Could. On Could 24, 1775, Congress unanimously elected John Hancock to exchange Randolph. The 39-year-old Hancock had already amassed a powerful resume. The Harvard Faculty graduate was a multiterm selectman of Boston, was a member of the provincial legislature from 1766 to 1772, served as president of the Provincial Congress in 1774, and served as a delegate from Massachusetts to the First Continental Congress.
Nationwide Archives Identifier 135797826
Congress then turned its consideration to elevating a military and discovering somebody to steer it. After the Battles of Lexington and Harmony, about 20,000 provincial militiamen had assembled within the Boston space to stave off British forces. Congress proposed utilizing these males because the core of a Continental Military.
On June 14, 1775, Congress voted to create the Continental Military out of the militia models round Boston, and on June 15, 1775, Congress unanimously elected George Washington because the commander in chief of the Continental forces.
Washington had served within the Virginia militia as a serious within the French and Indian Struggle. Congress selected Washington partly due to his army expertise, but additionally he was seen as somebody who might assist unite the colonies.
The next day Washington accepted, saying:
Mr President, Tho’ I’m actually wise of the excessive Honour accomplished me on this Appointment, but I really feel nice misery, from a consciousness that my talents & Army expertise will not be equal to the intensive & essential Belief: Nevertheless, because the Congress want i⟨t⟩ I’ll enter upon the momentous responsibility, & exert each energy I Possess Of their service & for the Assist of the wonderful Trigger: I encourage they’ll settle for my most cordial thanks for this distinguished testimony of their Approbation.
Whereas Congress was assembly, the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill occurred. After Lexington and Harmony, the British troops had been wanting to quash the riot and in June deliberate to launch an assault on Boston. Particulars of their plan had been leaked, and about 1,000 Massachusetts and Connecticut troopers gathered to defend a hill in Charlestown.
The battle occurred on June 17 and was mistakenly often known as the Battle of Bunker Hill (in actuality, it was “Breed’s Hill”). Though the British prevailed, they incurred a excessive variety of casualties, signaling to the Individuals that that they had a preventing probability.
Congress, nonetheless, had not but totally given up on reconciliation with Britain. On July 6, 1775, Congress authorised a Declaration of Causes outlining the rationale and necessity for the colonies taking on arms, arguing:
In our personal native Land, in defence of the Freedom that’s our Birthright, and which we ever loved until the late Violation of it—for the safety of our Property, acquired solely by the trustworthy Business of our fore-fathers and ourselves, in opposition to Violence really supplied, now we have taken up Arms. We will lay them down when Hostilities shall stop on the a part of the Aggressors, and all hazard of their being renewed shall be eliminated, and never earlier than.
Congress additionally despatched King George III the Olive Department Petition, a remaining try at resolving disputes between the colonies and Nice Britain. The King, nonetheless, refused to obtain it and in response to the Battle of Bunker Hill issued a Proclamation of Rebel wherein he declared the colonies to be in a state of open riot.
With Nice Britain refusing to barter, the colonies had been on their approach to realizing {that a} reconciliation with the crown will not be potential and independence is perhaps their most suitable choice.
Need to know extra? Come go to the Street to Revolution and Opening the Vault reveals within the Nationwide Archives Constructing.
