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In March 1773, when anti-British feeling flared once again, Lee, Henry, and [[Thomas Jefferson]], who had entered the House of Burgesses in 1769, organized a Virginia committee of correspondence and invited the other colonies to do likewise. Learning of the British [[Boston Tea Party|closing]] of [[Boston]] Harbor in May 1774, they persuaded their colleagues to declare, as a protest, a day of fasting and prayer. The Royal Governor again dissolved the burgesses. The Revolutionaries reconvened at Raleigh's Tavern, drew up a new nonimportation agreement, and resolved to appeal to the other colonies for an intercolonial congress. But before such action could be taken, Virginia received an invitation from Massachusetts to send representatives to a congress to be held in September at Philadelphia — the First Continental Congress. Virginia's first provincial assembly met in August and designated seven Delegates, including Lee and Henry.

In March 1773, when anti-British feeling flared once again, Lee, Henry, and [[Thomas Jefferson]], who had entered the House of Burgesses in 1769, organized a Virginia committee of correspondence and invited the other colonies to do likewise. Learning of the British [[Boston Tea Party|closing]] of [[Boston]] Harbor in May 1774, they persuaded their colleagues to declare, as a protest, a day of fasting and prayer. The Royal Governor again dissolved the burgesses. The Revolutionaries reconvened at Raleigh's Tavern, drew up a new nonimportation agreement, and resolved to appeal to the other colonies for an intercolonial congress. But before such action could be taken, Virginia received an invitation from Massachusetts to send representatives to a congress to be held in September at Philadelphia — the First Continental Congress. Virginia's first provincial assembly met in August and designated seven Delegates, including Lee and Henry.

Lee's outstanding congressional act was the introduction on June 7, 1776 [http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_06-07-76.asp] of the resolution for independence from Britain, seconded by [[John Adams]]. This document, Lee's condensed redraft of one forwarded him by a convention that had met in Williamsburg on May 15, proposed ''"...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."'''  On June 13, or 2 days after a committee was appointed to draft the [[Declaration of Independence|Declaration]], Lee journeyed back to Virginia, apparently because of illness in the family. He did not return and sign the Declaration until sometime subsequent to the formal ceremony on August 2. Like his brother Francis Lightfoot, in 1777 he also subscribed to the [[Articles of Confederation]]. After 1776, however, his influence in Congress waned, and 3 years later ill health forced his resignation.

Lee's outstanding congressional act was the introduction of what came to be called the [[Lee Resolution]] on June 7, 1776 [http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_06-07-76.asp] of the resolution for independence from Britain, seconded by [[John Adams]]. This document, Lee's condensed redraft of one forwarded him by a convention that had met in Williamsburg on May 15, proposed ''"...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."'''  On June 13, or 2 days after a committee was appointed to draft the [[Declaration of Independence|Declaration]], Lee journeyed back to Virginia, apparently because of illness in the family. He did not return and sign the Declaration until sometime subsequent to the formal ceremony on August 2. Like his brother Francis Lightfoot, in 1777 he also subscribed to the [[Articles of Confederation]]. After 1776, however, his influence in Congress waned, and 3 years later ill health forced his resignation.

==Later years==

==Later years==

In 1789 Lee entered the U.S. Senate, but because of failing health resigned in 1792, the year after the Bill of Rights was incorporated into the Constitution. He died in 1794, aged 62, at Chantilly. His grave is in the Lee family cemetery near Hague, Virginia.

In 1789 Lee entered the U.S. Senate, but because of failing health resigned in 1792, the year after the Bill of Rights was incorporated into the Constitution. He died in 1794, aged 62, at Chantilly. His grave is in the Lee family cemetery near Hague, Virginia.

==References==

==References==