President, Committee of the Whole , John Hancock:
I welcome you here on this July 2, 1776. At the previous meeting of this Continental Congress
on June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia called for a complete separation from Great
Britain. As a reminder, the resolution is as follows:
Resolved
“That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States,
that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political
connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign
Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for
their consideration and approbation.”
Several states asked for a brief postponement of any final decision in order to get instructions
from their home colonies. A special “Committee of Five” was appointed to write a formal
Declaration of Independence. This Congress assembles as an informal committee of the whole
to continue to freely discuss and debate Jefferson’s manifesto of freedom. Each colony has a
copy of the first draft. Please take 10 minutes to read it and discuss any possible changes.
General George Washington will first read for the Convention's approval the Rules of Procedure
which the Virginia delegation has drawn up.
Washington:
(1) All delegates are expected to rise when addressing the President, John Hancock.
(2) No one may walk in front of a speaking delegate.
(3) Delegates are not to read books, magazines, newspapers, or pamphlets at their seats
during debate.
(4) Each state may have as many delegates as it wishes, but eat state will be allowed
only one vote. All motions are to be passed or rejected by a simple majority of
states present and voting.
All in favor say Yay. All objections say Nay.
Mr. President all have agreed to the rules of Procedure.
John Hancock:
Thank you General Washington. We will now open the Congress to discussion of the
declaration of independence before them. Are there any clauses the delegates would wish to
amend? The floor is open for discussion.
Discussion about Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence
At the Close of discussion of the Second Continental Congress:
The discussion is now closed. Now we must vote as to whether we will be free or not. This vote
must be unanimous. If any colony chooses not to vote yes, then it will fail. Signify by saying yea
or nay.
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Delaware
Virginia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Georgia
The declaration has been approved.
Fellow delegates, I would like to recall to your mind the final sentence of this declaration:
“And for the support of this declaration,
with a firm reliance on the Protection of divine Providence,
we mutually pledge to each other
our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
By signing this document you are in essence signing your name in blood. If our glorious cause
for freedom is defeated we will be tried for treason. Need I remind you that the penalty for high
treason is to be hung until unconscious, cut down and revived, disemboweled, beheaded, and cut
into quarters. Your remnants are then scattered abroad so that the last resting place of the
offender will remain forever unnamed, unhonored and unknown.
We will now sign the declaration.
New York
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates from New York,
one of the biggest colonies in North America. The question that we are gathered here today to
discuss is independence. You are for independence but you believe that the time is not quite right
and your legislature has not given you any instructions as to how to vote. This is your main
reason for not supporting independence.
You have not received any news from you legislature as to what to do on the question of
independence, but you have decided that if every other colony votes for independence you will
vote for it.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
Almost 50% of the New York colonists own slaves.
The British have flooded your colony with slaves.
Slavery has become a cornerstone of your economy
Slave uprisings are becoming worrisome.
Free blacks are not safe in your colony - they can be reenslaved.
Here are the other delegates from your state:
 William Floyd
 Philip Livingston
 Francis Lewis
 Lewis Morris
Georgia
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates of Georgia. The
question that we are gathered here today to discuss is independence. The people of Georgia are
not opposed to independence as long as it does not interfere with the institution of slavery. On
most issues Georgia sides with South Carolina.
There is a clause in the declaration that must be omitted. If clause #27 is not removed, you will
leave the Continental Congress and in no way will you help the rest of the states in their cause
for freedom.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
You are a very strong pro-slavery colony
You believe slavery is absolutely necessary to keep your way of life
You believe slaves are sub-human.
You believe slaves should be counted as property.
Your colony no longer needs to import slaves as of 1774
Here are the other delegates from your state:



Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton
South Carolina
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates of South
Carolina. Your state is the leader of the Southern Colonies. How you vote will greatly influence
how the other southern states will vote. The question that we are gathered here today to discuss
is independence. The state of South Carolina is in favor of independence but they will not
jeopardize their way of life for independence. Slavery must not be affected for South Carolina to
vote for independence.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
You believe Slavery is not morally wrong.
You believe slavery is absolutely necessary to keep your way of life.
Your colony's free white to slave black ratio is 1:2
You believe independence is not worth anything if slavery is lost.
You believe slaves are sub-human.
You believe slaves should be counted as property.
You see that slavery has always been a part of civilization and is found in the Bible therefore it is a God-given right.
Make a motion that the clause #27 be stricken out.
30. He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the
persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another
hemisphere, or to inure miserable death in their transportation hither.
Remind the Congress that Mr. Jefferson himself owns slaves.
Here are the delegates from your state:




Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton
North Carolina
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates from North
Carolina. The question we have before us today is independence. The people of North Carolina
are not opposed to independence so long as it does not interfere with the institution of slavery.
On most issues North Carolina sides with South Carolina.
Your stand on slavery:
You have very strong pro-slavery feelings.
You believe slavery is absolutely necessary to your way of life
You believe slaves are sub-human.
You believe slaves should be counted as property.
You demand that clause #27 is taken out of the declaration.
Here are the other delegates from your state:



William M. Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
Maryland
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegate of Maryland.
You represent a large portion of the nation because of the size of Maryland. You believe your
people are the elite and that you prospered under British rule. Mary land instructed all
congressional delegates to recall the "State of Felicity" they and their ancestors had enjoyed
under English rule. You are not sure you want to cut ties with Britain. The question that we are
gathered here today to discuss is independence. You are for eventual independence but you
believe that the time is not quite right and your legislature until this moment, had not given you
any instructions as to how to vote. You are personally not ready to support independence. Your
goal is to try to delay any move to independence.
But, regardless of your personal convictions, you are a servant of the people and vote to
represent the wishes of the people. You have just today received news that the people of
Maryland want independence. If the vote cannot be delayed, you must vote with the will of the
people -- for independence.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
Your state practices slavery
You want slavery to continue
You believe slaves are sub-human
You believe that the economic system of the South will die if slavery is abolished.
Here are the other delegates from your state:




Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll
Pennsylvania
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates of Pennsylvania.
You represent a large portion of the nation because of the size of Pennsylvania. The question that
we are gathered here today to discuss is independence. You are for independence but you believe
that the time is not quite right. It would be disastrous for the people of Pennsylvania if this
Congress were to declare independence now. This Congress must not be hasty. Regardless of
your personal convictions, you are a servant of the people and must act as they would. You must
decide what is more important – taking more time to resolve issues with Great Britain or
declaring independence now. Your people want to be united with the other 12 colonies. Vote
accordingly.
Your stand on slavery:
Religious resistance to slavery led your colony to ban slave imports in 1767
You believe slavery is immoral.
No human being has a right to own another human being.
Freedom is a God-given right to all human beings.
The colonies should not have slavery after they declare independence.
Here are the other delegates from you state:
 Robert Morris
 Benjamin Rush
 Benjamin Franklin
 John Morton
 George Clymer
 James Smith
 George. Taylor
 James Wilson
 George Ross
New Jersey
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates of New Jersey.
The question that we are gathered here today to discuss is independence. You are for
independence but you believe that the time is not quite right. This is your main reason for not
supporting independence. Regardless of your personal convictions, you are a servant of the
people and must act as they would and as of this moment they do not support independence.
You have just today received news that the people of New Jersey want independence. If you
cannot delay the vote for independence you must vote as the people of your colony request.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
Your colony is currently a slave colony
Slavery has become essential to your colony's economy
Unlike other Northern Colonies, your colony is strongly against abolition of slavery.
Independence is more important than slave economy.
Here are the other delegates from you state:
 Richard Stockton
 John Witherspoon
 Francis S Hopkinson
 John Hart
 Abraham Clark
Massachusetts
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You have the privilege to be a delegate of
Massachusetts. Your colony has done the most for the cause of liberty. You and your fellow
delegates are some of the key movers for liberty. Your colony has truly borne the brunt of King
George’s anger. As we hold this historic convention, British troops reside in your colony and in
your harbors - pillaging your land and families. You must fight with all of your strength for
independence.
Your colony's stand on slavery:
Your colony is currently a slave colony
Slavery has become essential to your colony's economy
Black Minutemen have been participating in defense of the colony
The Calvinist doctrine of predestination taught that blacks were a people cursed by God
to serve whites.
Liberty and independence are more important than slave economy.
Here are your fellow delegates:
 Samuel Adams
 John Adams
 Robert Treat Paine
 Elbridge Gerry
Virginia
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You have the honor of representing the first
colony of America, Virginia, home to George Washington, our fearless leader! Just a month ago
your delegation presented the First Continental Congress with a resolution from the Virginia
Legislature. Because of your leadership a Committee of Five was chosen to write a Declaration
of Independence. You are now meeting to accept or reject this document and declare your
colony's stand on independence.
Your colony is absolutely for independence no matter the cost!
Your colony's stand on slavery:
Your colony practices slavery
Your colony's ratio of free white to black slave is nearly 1:1
You want slavery to continue
You believe slaves are sub-human
You believe the economic system of the South will die if slavery is abolished.
You ask that the clause #27 be removed from the declaration, but freedom is more
important than the slavery issue.
Here are the names of your fellow delegates:







George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson Jr
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Connecticut
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the delegates from Connecticut. The
question that we are gathered here today to discuss is independence. Connecticut is a colony full
of people who love liberty and are for independence all the way! You will fight for independence
no matter the cost. You are ready to sign any document declaring your independence.
You are strongly against the removal of the slavery clause #27 from the declaration, but freedom
is more important than the slavery issue.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
You were a slave state until 1774 when importation of slaves was banned.
You believe it would be hypocritical to demand independence from Great Britain while
enslaving men.
You want independence from Great Britain more than a slave economy.
Here are the names of your fellow delegates:
 Roger Sherman
 Samuel Huntington
 Wm Williams.
 Oliver Wolcott.
Rhode Island
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress. You are the delegates from Rhode Island. The
question that we are gathered here today to discuss is independence. Rhode Island was the first
British colony in America to formally declare its independence -- two months ago! You are a
colony full of people who love liberty and are for independence all the way! You want
independence no matter the cost. You are ready to sign any document declaring your
independence.
In, 1774, Stephen Hopkins introduced a bill that prohibited the importation of slaves into the
colony. It is being debated currently. Freedom is more important than the slavery issue.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
Your colony has slaves.
Your colony prohibited the importation of slaves in 1774.
The colony is very divided about the slave question
Only part of the colony depends on slave economy
Independence is more important than the slave economy of the colony
Here are the names of your fellow delegates:
 Stephen Hopkins
 William Ellery
Delaware
Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegates of Delaware. Delaware
is a small colony but they have great influence in the colonies. The question that we are gathered
here today to discuss is independence. Before this day, Delaware has not supported
independence but news has just come that the people of Delaware are now in favor of it. No
matter your personal views are you must vote as the people desire. You are now free to vote for
a free nation.
Your Colony's stand on slavery:
In the last decade slavery has risen to 20% of Delaware's population.
Slave importation to Delaware is currently outlawed.
Your colony also has a high Indian slave population.
Independence is more important to Delaware than the slave issue.
Here are the other delegates from your state:



Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas M. Kean
New Hampshire
Welcome to the Second Continental Congress honorable delegate. You represent the great
Colony of New Hampshire. The reason we have gathered here today is to decide the question of
independence. Your colony and the northern colonies have borne the brunt of the king’s anger
for years due to the taxes required by the King on all importations. You are tired of the high
taxes and you are tired of the King. The colony of New Hampshire will fight for independence
until the end.
Your delegates are committed to freedom and independence at all costs. You do not want the
clause #27 removed from the declaration. For your people, slavery is immoral. But you will not
leave this Congress until the declaration is signed, even if it means compromising on the slavery
clause.
Your colony's stand on slavery:
Your colony has practiced slavery but less than the other colonies
New Hampshire was a base for slaves to be imported into America then smuggled into
other colonies.
Your colony has allowed free blacks to vote
Slavery in your colony in the past two years was reduced because Great Britain offered
freedom to escaped slaves who join the British army.
Independence is more important than slave economy.
Here are some of your fellow delegates:
 Josiah Bartlett
 William M. Whipple
 Matthew Thornton