250 Years Ago Today, 6/7/1776: The Resolution That Launched American Independence Today marks exactly 250 years since June 7, 1776, when Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee stood before the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia and introduced a resolution that pushed the American colonies toward independence. With a large British invasion force preparing operations against the colonies and hopes for reconciliation fading, Lee proposed that the thirteen colonies be declared “free and independent States,” no longer subject to the authority of King George III. The Lee Resolution called for a complete break with Great Britain. It declared that all political ties with the British Crown should be dissolved and that the colonies should possess the full powers of an independent nation, including the authority to wage war, make peace, form alliances, and conduct trade. What had begun as resistance was becoming a fight for independence. Congress delayed a final vote to allow several colonies time to authorize the measure, but it also appointed a committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin to draft a declaration explaining the case for independence (pictured). Jefferson was chosen to write the first draft. Meanwhile, General George Washington and the Continental Army strengthened defenses around New York as British forces gathered for a major campaign. Congress approved additional troops and created the Flying Camp, a mobile militia force designed to respond quickly to threats. News of Lee’s resolution spread rapidly through the colonies, energizing local committees and militia units. Many Americans recognized there was no turning back. The struggle had moved beyond protest and resistance; it had become a fight to create a new nation. #AmericanHistory #Independence #USA #History #America #Military