Founding1776
Richard Henry Lee Proposes Independence Resolution
Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution in the Continental Congress declaring "that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States." The resolution was tabled for further debate but led directly to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
Why It Matters
Lee's resolution was the formal political act that set independence in motion, transforming philosophical arguments about natural rights into a concrete proposal for self-governance.