What is Tomorrow All About?

Historic Capitol building in Williamsburg, VA, where the Fifth Virginia Convention passed a resolution on May 15, 1776, calling for American independence from Great Britain. 

Two hundred fifty years ago tomorrow, the Declaration of Independence was adopted as the document announcing that the American Colonies were breaking free from British rule. Sounds straight forward enough. Not so much. 

Here’s how that really played out.

June 7, 1776 – Richard Henry Lee, a delegate from Virginia, read a resolution before the Continental Congress, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, stating that the Colonies are free and independent States and that they have broken allegiance to the British Crown.

June 11, 1776 – The Continental Congress agreed with Mr. Lee, but decided to appoint a committee of five members to compose a more complete and convincing document. The chosen men were John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson.  

July 2, 1776 – The original Lee resolution was adopted, and Congress moved on to consider the Declaration, written mostly by Jefferson, with changes made by Franklin and Adams.

July 4, 1776 – After deliberating for several days, on the morning of July 4, the men adopted the Declaration. It was not signed that day; it was sent to a printer, where copies were made for distribution to various committees and other involved parties. Even as a small nation just starting out, there were apparently many people who wanted to offer their input. I guess that’s a good thing. This would be an important piece of paper.

August 2, 1776 – It wasn’t until nearly a month later that most of the members of Congress signed the Declaration. Several didn’t sign it until September, and one not until November. Thomas McKean, from Delaware, didn’t sign it until much later, possibly a year or more. Though McKean voted in July to adopt the Declaration, he immediately left after that to return to his post as a colonel in the Continental Army. After all, the Revolutionary War had already begun a year before, on April 19, 1775, in Massachusetts.

Final fun fact – Only six men signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution: Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, James Wilson, George Clymer, Roger Sherman and George Read. None of these men went on to become President.

Further Fun Fact – Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: John Adams (the 2nd President) and Thomas Jefferson (the 3rd President). George Washington (1st President) and James Madison (4th President) signed the Constitution in 1787.

I could go on, but you probably have celebration plans to tend to. But when you get a chance, look up more about our country’s history. To move forward, we need to remember to look back.

Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's Virginia home.