Before the Declaration: How One Resolution and Five Delegates Changed History
- April Rosequist
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
When most people think about the American Revolution, they think about July 4, 1776.
But independence did not happen in a single day.
Before the Declaration of Independence could be written, someone first had to ask an important question:
Should the colonies separate from Great Britain at all?
That question led to two important moments in June 1776 that changed history forever — the Lee Resolution and the creation of the Committee of Five.
The Lee Resolution: The Moment Independence Became Real
On June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee stood before the Continental Congress and introduced what became known as the Lee Resolution.
His proposal stated:
“These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”
Today those words seem obvious.
At the time, they were revolutionary.
Up until this point, many colonists still hoped reconciliation with Great Britain might be possible. Lee’s resolution forced Congress to answer the question directly: Should the colonies become independent?
Congress delayed the vote while delegates debated and gathered support.
But they realized something important.
If independence was approved, they would need a document explaining why.
Independence Was Not a Simple Decision
One thing many people do not realize is that delegates in the Continental Congress could not simply vote however they pleased.
Their colonies had to give them permission.
And in early 1776, not every colony agreed independence was the answer.
North Carolina moved first.
On April 12, 1776, North Carolina passed the Halifax Resolves, becoming the first colony to officially authorize its delegates to vote for independence.
Virginia followed in May, instructing its delegates to pursue independence as well — setting the stage for Richard Henry Lee to introduce his famous resolution only weeks later.
Other colonies slowly followed through spring and early summer as public opinion shifted.
This process mattered because the Declaration of Independence was not created by a few famous men acting alone.
It was built through discussions, votes, arguments, and decisions happening across all thirteen colonies.
Independence was not one moment.
It was thirteen colonies slowly deciding to move together.
Enter the Committee of Five
Only four days after Lee introduced his resolution, on June 11, Congress appointed a small committee to draft an explanation for independence.
This group became known as the Committee of Five.
The members were:
Thomas Jefferson (Virginia)
John Adams (Massachusetts)
Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania)
Roger Sherman (Connecticut)
Robert Livingston (New York)
Congress chose Thomas Jefferson to prepare the first draft.
Why Jefferson?
Partly because he was an excellent writer.
Partly because others on the committee encouraged him.
And partly because they wanted the document to reflect all the colonies—not only New England voices.
The committee debated wording, made edits, and shaped what would become one of the most influential documents in world history.
The Declaration Did Not Create Independence — It Explained It
People often think July 4, 1776 was the day America suddenly became independent.
It was not.
The Declaration of Independence was not really a beginning.
It was an explanation.
The Lee Resolution proposed independence.
The Committee of Five explained it.
Congress approved it.
And together, those actions changed the world.
Why Does This Matter 250 Years Later?
As America approaches its 250th birthday, these events remind us that big moments rarely happen all at once.
History is often built step by step.
A debate.
A vote.
A committee meeting.
A draft.
A signature.
At Camp Flintlock, we explore these stories through hands-on experiences because history is more than memorizing dates.
It is understanding the people, choices, and ideas that shaped the world around us.
Before there was a declaration—there was a resolution and five delegates sitting down to write.