1. American Revolution Second Continental Congress
Declaration of Independence
Key People: The Signers

2. Heading for Independence
Before the Second Meeting could be held, the British and the Americans started fighting.
The first armed conflict of the American Revolution took place at Lexington and Concord.
It started on April 19.
Several batters would occur before the Second Continental Congress would meet again in Philadelphia.

3. Second Continental Congress
Congress today is the legislative branch of the U.S. government. Back then, congress was just a fancy word for a meeting.
King George III ignored the demands from the first meeting.
This TIME all 13 colonies were present!
The colonists : set up their own post office, made treaties with Native Americans and established a Continental Army (George Washington is the commander)
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced a resolution WHICH STATED THAT THE COLONIES WERE FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES

4. Declaration of Independence
They created a committee that drafted a Declaration of Independence.
Some of the committee members were: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson was nominated to write it.
It has 4 parts: The Preamble, Declaration of Natural Rights, Grievances against the king and Resolution of Independence

5. The 411 on the signers
John Hancock served as the president of the Congress and was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence.

6. Georgia Signers
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton