The Declaration of Independence was sent primarily to King George III of England, outlining the colonies' grievances against his rule. Although influenced by John Locke's ideas, the document serves as a formal declaration of rebellion against British authority. What did the delegates do at the First Continental Congress? Check all that apply. Sent the king a request for relief Wrote the Declaration of Independence Called for a boycott of British goods Set a time for a follow-up meeting Petition to the King The first document the Continental Congress sent to George III was the “Petition to the King” in 1774. The colonies were not yet ready to declare independence, and the petition made it clear that they saw themselves as British citizens and that Parliament had the right to regulate trade in the colonies. On July 4, 1776, John Adams, delegate to the Continental Congress from Massachusetts, voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the British King unfit to be ruler of a free people. The King had proclaimed the rebellious colonists to be traitors. On July 2, 1776, after months of deliberation and while directing battle in the colonies and Canada, the Second Continental Congress voted to declare the “united States of America” separate and independent from Britain. On July 4, the Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson. The Petition to the King was a petition sent to King George III by the First Continental Congress in 1774, calling for the repeal of the Intolerable Acts. The King's rejection of the petition was one of the causes of the later United States Declaration of Independence and American Revolutionary War. On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress. This document, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, declared the thirteen American colonies' independence from British rule. It contained a preamble that included Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and social contract, a detailed list of grievances against King George III, and concluded with the What were Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration Committee referencing as they created this document, which ultimately was an incredible act of treason against their King and country. As you read this, you'll see history through their eyes as you discover the meaning behind the words. Overview In this lecture, Professor Freeman discusses the Declaration of Independence and sets the document in its historical context. The Declaration was not the main focus of the Second Continental Congress, which was largely concerned with organizing the defensive war effort. The Congress had sent King George III the Olive Branch Petition in a last attempt at reconciliation in August 1775 To understand British reaction to the Declaration, we must first understand the immediate political context. On July 2 nd, 1776, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia voted in favor of the resolution for independence, and two days later, adopted the Declaration of Independence. Nearly every printed or manuscript edition of the Declaration of Independence has slight differences in punctuation, capitalization, and even wording. To find out more about the diverse textual tradition of the Declaration, check out our Which Version is This, and Why Does it Matter? resource. Declaration of Independence, 17761 IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, At least about the British monarch visiting and not ruling America. It took news of the Declaration of Independence about five weeks to reach England, with the first newspaper printings of the text published in mid-August. Previous petitions of the Continental Congress had been addressed to the King — specifically, "Most Gracious Sovereign". After New York’s delegates received instructions from home to vote for independence (they had initially abstained), the document was sent to Timothy Matlack to be engrossed (handwritten). Fifty of the 56 men signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence inside Independence Hall on August 2, 1776. Loading results The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. Declaring Independence On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to declare independence. Two days later, it ratified the text of the Declaration. John Dunlap, official printer to Congress, worked through the night to set the Declaration in type and print approximately 200 copies. In fact, historians aren't even sure that the edition King George received was the one sent to him. On the evening of July 4, 1776, after months of revision, committee review, acrimonious debate, and reluctant compromise, the Continental Congress approved and signed the final version of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, representatives from the original 13 American Colonies came together to formally adopt a document that listed all their grievances against the British government and announce their independence from the crown. This document became known as the Declaration of Independence. In his address, the king spoke about the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the revolutionary leaders who signed it, saying, “for daring and desperate is the spirit of those Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence between June 11 and June 28, 1776. The draft is most famous for Jefferson’s criticism of King George III for Great Britain’s involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |