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==Background==

==Background==

A soldier and successful merchant, Laurens was also highly politically active, serving in the commons house of assembly from 1757 until the beginning of the [[Revolutionary War]].  Laurens served as president of the [[First Provincial Congress]], and also of the first council of safety, in 1775.  He also served in the [[Second Provincial Congress]], and as president of the second council of safety, in 1775 and 1776.  Laurens was elected president of the [[Continental Congress]] on November 1, 1777, and served in that position until December 9, 1778.  While sailing to Holland to serve as Minister, Laurens was captured by the British and imprisoned in the [[Tower of London]]—the only American ever to be held there.  He was released in December 1781, in exchange for [[Lord Cornwallis]].

A soldier and successful merchant, Laurens was also highly politically active, serving in the commons house of assembly from 1757 until the beginning of the [[Revolutionary War]].  Laurens served as president of the [[First Provincial Congress]], and also of the first council of safety, in 1775.  He also served in the [[Second Provincial Congress]], and as president of the second council of safety, in 1775 and 1776.  Laurens was elected president of the [[Continental Congress]] on November 1, 1777, and served in that position until December 9, 1778.  While sailing to Holland to serve as Minister, Laurens was captured by the British and imprisoned in the [[Tower of London]]—the only American ever to be held there.  He was released in December 1781, in exchange for [[Lord Cornwallis]].  The following year in 1782, his son John was killed at the Battle of Combahee River.

[[Image:Treaty of Paris by Benjamin West 1783.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Treaty of Paris]], Painting by Benjamin West (never completed).  The painting depicts from left to right, [[John Jay]], [[John Adams]], [[Benjamin Franklin]], Henry Laurens, and [[William Temple Franklin]].]]

[[Image:Treaty of Paris by Benjamin West 1783.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Treaty of Paris]], Painting by Benjamin West (never completed).  The painting depicts from left to right, [[John Jay]], [[John Adams]], [[Benjamin Franklin]], Henry Laurens, and [[William Temple Franklin]].]]

Following the war, Laurens returned home to his plantation ''Mepkin''; although elected to the [[Continental Congress]], the state legislature, and the Federal [[Constitutional Convention]], he declined all three, preferring to live quietly as a planter until his death in 1792.<ref>http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000121</ref>

Following the war, Laurens returned home to his plantation ''Mepkin''; although elected to the [[Continental Congress]], the state legislature, and the Federal [[Constitutional Convention]], he declined all three, preferring to live quietly as a planter until his death in 1792.<ref>http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000121</ref>