July 2, 1776

Lee Resolution

Continental Congress adopts the independence clause of the Lee Resolution

Richard Henry Lee was not in the room when Congress adopted the independence resolution that bears his name.

2 July 1776: twelve delegations vote yes

Meeting in Philadelphia on 2 July 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the first clause of Richard Henry Lee's resolution, declaring the United Colonies free and independent states, absolved from allegiance to the British Crown and politically separate from Great Britain.

Twelve colonial delegations voted for it. New York cast no vote at all — its delegates were still bound by their instructions, and the New York Convention approved the action on 9 July.

How the last votes moved

Caesar Rodney arrived in time to break Delaware's divided vote in favour of independence. Pennsylvania changed after two opponents were absent, and South Carolina changed its position.

The day before, Edward Rutledge had asked for the decision to be postponed from 1 July to 2 July, believing his colleagues would then join the independence vote. The 1 July debate in committee of the whole had already run about nine hours.

Two days from a decision to a document

Immediately after adopting the resolution, Congress began considering the Committee of Five's draft Declaration of Independence. Only the independence clause passed on 2 July; Lee's treaty and confederation proposals proceeded separately.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post carried the news that same day, reporting that Congress had declared the United Colonies free and independent states. Congress adopted and ordered the Declaration printed on 4 July.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 7 sources 2 audit passes

How this was checked

Researched from the web into a fact sheet, rewritten from that sheet, then audited against it by a different model. How the pipeline works →