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| | [[Image:Second Continental Congress.jpg|thumb|230px|right|The Second Continental Congress voting for independence]] | | [[Image:Second Continental Congress.jpg|thumb|230px|right|The Second Continental Congress voting for independence]] |
| − | The '''Second Continental Congress''', 1775-1781, is by far the more noteworthy of the two Continental Congresses. It was created in late 1774 when the [[First Continental Congress]] called on the colonies to send delegates to the Second one. It met in Philadelphia at [[Independence Hall]] and was the national government that [[Declaration of Independence|declared independence in July 1776]], fought, financed, and won the [[American Revolution]] with the help of [[France]] and other allies. | + | The '''Second Continental Congress''', 1775-1781, is by far the more noteworthy of the two Continental Congresses. It was created in late 1774 when the [[First Continental Congress]] called on the colonies to send delegates to the Second one. It met in Philadelphia at [[Independence Hall]] and was the national government that [[Declaration of Independence|declared independence on July 2, 1776]], fought, financed, and won the [[American Revolution]] with the help of [[France]] and other allies. |
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| − | It was replaced when the [[Articles of Confederation]] were ratified, by the [[Congress of the Confederation]]. | + | Delegate [[John Adams]] stated: |
| | + | {{cquote|Delegate John Adams of Massachusetts. the man who probably did more to get independence declared said this prior to the vote: |
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| | + | ‘Sink of swim, live or die, survive of perish, I give my hand and heart for this vote…. You and I indeed may rue it. We may not live to the time when this Declaration shall be made good. We may die; die colonists; die slaves; die, it may be ignominiously and on the scaffold. Be it so, be it so |
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| | + | “If it be the pleasure of Heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life, the victim shall be ready…. But while I do live, let me have a country, or at least the hope of a country and that of a free country… |
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| | + | “Sir, before God, I believe the hour is come. My judgement approves the measure, and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope, in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it, and I leave off as I began, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the Declaration, It is my living sentiment and by the blessings of God, it shall be my dying sentiment, Independence now and Independence forever.”}} |
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| | + | The Second Continental Congress was replaced when the [[Articles of Confederation]] were ratified, by the [[Congress of the Confederation]]. |
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| | ==Background== | | ==Background== |