Second Continental Congress
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775
President: John Hancock—the first to sign the Declaration
Purpose: Decide how to respond to military exchanges and ignored petitions.
Accomplishments
1. Olive Branch Petition – letter to King George III asking for peace between
England and the colonies in exchange for protection of rights.
2. Appointed George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. He
demonstrated civic virtue by refusing to accept a salary. He saw it as his duty to
serve.
3. Benjamin Franklin was named Postmaster General
4. Wrote the Declaration of Independence when King George III ignored the Olive
Branch Petition. The Committee of Five was chosen to write the Declaration of
Independence and present it to the Continental Congress.
Committee Members
1. Thomas Jefferson
2. John Adams
3. Benjamin Franklin
4. Roger Sherman
5. Robert Livingston
Four Parts of the Declaration of Independence
1. The Preamble
An introduction which states that the
document will explain why the colonies have decided
to declare independence.
2. Declaration of Natural Rights
a. Unalienable rights are rights that you are
born with and cannot be taken away from you.
These rights are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.
b. The purpose of the government is to protect
the natural rights of the people.
c. Governments get their power from the “consent of the
governed”, which means the approval of the people
If the government fails to protect their rights, they
have the right to abolish that gov.
3. List of Grievances
A list of complaints against King George III
4. Resolution of Independence
States that the colonies are “free and independent
States” with the power to do all things an independent
country can do.