Lee's Resolution
On June 7, 1776 during the Second Continental Congress, a statesman from Virginia named Richard Henry Lee, proposed a resolution for the colonies to become independent from Great Britain. Lee’s Resolution contained three parts:
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A declaration of independence
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A call to from foreign alliances
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A “plan for confederation”
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Four days later the Congress appointed three committees (one for each part) to work on Lee’s Resolution.
Richard Henry Lee was a statesman from Virginia during the Second Continental Congress when he proposed the colonies’ declare independence from Great Britain.
However, not everyone was on board. Some members of the Congress believed that these actions were premature. Others wanted authorization from their individual colonies before voting. Because of this, voting on the proposal was postponed for three weeks.
On July 2nd, twelve of the colonies voted to adopt the first part of the resolution—the declaration. Delegates from New York abstained from voting until their newly elected New York Convention upheld the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776.
Part 2 of the plan—forming foreign alliances (making treaties) was not approved until September of that same year.
Part 3—the “Plan for Confederation” was delayed until November 1777.
A copy of the complete resolution in Richard Lee’s own handwriting can be viewed here:
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https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=1
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Founders Trivia
Richard Henry Lee (1733-1794) and his younger brother Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734-1797) were the only siblings among the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Their father, Thomas Lee had five sons who, according to John Adams “stood in the gap in defense of their country, from the first glimmering of the Revolution on the horizon, through all its rising light, to its perfect day.”
Learn more about the Lee family here:
https://www.stratfordhall.org/meet-the-lee-family/lee-brother-signers/