Historedia
Group or institution

Second Continental Congress

Events
3
Episodes
7
Years
1776–1778

Every event in Historedia whose sources name Second Continental Congress, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence

    1776

    Role: Body that passed the Lee Resolution and adopted the Declaration

    1. July 2, 1776 · Philadelphia, seat of the Second Continental CongressPassage of the Lee Resolution

      On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress passed the Lee Resolution, asserting the colonies were free and independent states.

    2. July 4, 1776 · Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall)Adoption of the Declaration of Independence

      On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia.

    3. July 8, 1776 · Philadelphia, one of three simultaneous reading sitesFirst Public Readings of the Declaration

      On July 8, 1776, at noon, the Declaration was read publicly at three designated locations: Trenton, Easton, and Philadelphia.

  2. Approval of the Articles of Confederation

    1777

    Role: Body that debated, finalized, and approved the Articles of Confederation

    1. 1777 · Temporary seat of the Continental CongressCongress Relocates to York

      To evade advancing British troops, Congress left Philadelphia in fall 1777 for Lancaster and then York, Pennsylvania, where it would finalize the Articles.

    2. Late November 1777 · Origin of the ratification copiesCopies Sent to the States

      In late November 1777, unsigned copies of the approved Articles were sent to the states for ratification, with a November 17 cover letter signed by Laurens and Thomson.

    3. November 15, 1777 · Site of the Continental Congress's approval of the ArticlesFinal Approval of the Articles, November 15, 1777

      On November 15, 1777, the Second Continental Congress finalized and approved the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union for distribution to the states.

  3. New Jersey Agrees to Articles of Confederation

    1778

    Role: Body that finalized the Articles and managed the ratification process

    1. November 26, 1778 · New JerseyNew Jersey Agrees to the Articles of Confederation

      New Jersey signed the Articles of Confederation on November 26, 1778, becoming the second state to ratify the document.

Sources

  1. Lee Resolution Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-31
  2. United States Declaration of Independence Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-25
  3. Articles of Confederation Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-30