United States Government: Democracy in Action

Introduction
The delegates to the Second Continental Congress included some of the greatest political leaders in America. Among those attending were John and Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington—all delegates to the First Continental Congress held in 1774. Several distinguished new delegates came as well. Benjamin Franklin was one of the most accomplished and respected individuals in the colonies. John Hancock of Massachusetts was one of the wealthiest colonists. Virginia's Thomas Jefferson, only 32 years old, had already acquired a reputation as a brilliant thinker and writer. With great minds comes great—but perhaps not parallel—convictions. In this activity, you will learn that independence from Great Britain was not a foregone conclusion when the delegates met in 1775.

Destination Title: Declaring Independence: The Inside Story

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Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			Why was the declaration of American independence unique?
2			Why did South Carolina remain neutral on the question of independence?
3			What position did Samuel Chase, a delegate from Maryland, have toward independence at first ? What changed his mind?
4			What rule was put in place regarding voting procedures for delegates? Which colonies were affected by this rule?
5			The article refers to the musical play 1776, which ran on Broadway and was made into a film in 1972. Watch the film 1776 or the HBO miniseries John Adams (the episodes portraying the Second Continental Congress). Then select a character you found most interesting, and write a summary or create a graphic novel of the person's contributions (or opposition) to the Declaration of Independence.