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July 2, 2020: On July 2, 1776—15 months after war broke out—the Second Continental Congress formally voted to declare our nation’s independence from Great Britain.[1]
The War for Independence began on April 19, 1775, with the battle of Lexington and Concord.[2] The tension between the colonies and England had been building for a decade before the shot heard ‘round the world' was fired to begin the war. Events such as the Stamp Act, the Intolerable Acts, the Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party had set the stage.
But it took 15 months of fighting before the Second Continental Congress formally declared the United States to be a free and independent nation. On July 2, 1776, a dozen colonies voted for independence and New York abstained. John Adams, who would become the second president of the United States, thought that day would become the most celebrated day in American history.[1]
Instead, however, the nation’s birthday has been celebrated on July 4—the day that the edited version of the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted.[1]
The congressional action did not lead the nation into a fight for independence. Instead, it simply ratified what had already happened. In fact, by the time Congress acted, a majority of the British governors had already been forced to flee the new nation.[3]
However, political leaders recognized the importance of unity. They continued debating and addressing concerns until a unanimous vote could be obtained. That happened 243 years ago today.
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