The Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress met on May 10, 1775 after the battles of Lexington and Concord. The delegates of the Congress met at the State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (now a days call Independence Hall) for the first meeting. Some of the delegates of the Congress were: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Hancock. The Second Continental Congress was conformed by fifty-six delegates from different colonies. John Hancock became the new president of the Continental Congress. In the other hand, Benjamin Franklin proposed the idea of independence to the other delegates, but most of the delegates disagreed because they were not ready. After everything that had happened with Britain, America was still not ready for their own independence.

Particularly, the Second Continental Congress decided to take responsibility from the war. That was the reason for them to start organizing an army formed mostly of volunteers. In addition, the Congress named George Washington as the military commander. Furthermore, the Congress discussed the possibility of the print paper money. Later on, the Congress authorized the print paper money. As said before, the delegates didn't want independence from Britain, apart from some radicals. In July of 1775, Congress allowed the Olive Branch Petition, which was a letter for the King. The King rejected the petition and instead he sent troops to Boston.

In 1776, the Congress decided to become independent from Britain. As a result, the delegates wrote the famous document known as the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence was formed and written by several delegates including: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. In addition, all of the delegates of the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock is known for writing his name first and biggest on the Declaration of Independence.This document stated that the states would be independent and no longer part of Britain. On July 4, 1776, the Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. At last, the Declaration of Independence was a union to form a new nation known as the United States of America.