In framing rules for its government, the Congress resolved that in determining questions each Colony or Province should have one vote-a principle afterward embodied in the Articles of Confederation, and still preserved, although in a modified form, in the United States Senate. After summoning a new Congress, to meet at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775, the First Continental Congress adjourned. THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, 1775. When the Second Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, May 10, 1775, the Revolution had already begun. Lexington was fought April 19, 1775, and Ticonderoga captured the very day of the meeting. Still the Colonies adhered to their allegiance to the Crown, as is evidenced by their sending an address to the King, July, 1775, and also in the appointment of a committee, November, 1775, "to maintain intercourse with the friends of the Colonies in Great Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere." But as it became evident that the King was determined to put down the "rebellion" by force, and as all hope of recognition of their rights by the British Parliament vanished, the feeling in favor of Independence grew stronger, and on June 7, 1776, it was moved by Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, and seconded by John Adams, of Massachusetts, that the Colonies should declare their independence of Great Britain. A committee was appointed to draw up a declaration in conformity with the resolution, but the resolution itself was not adopted until July 2, 1776, when the Congress passed it as follows: 'Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them, and the State of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." The DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE was agreed to July 4, 1776—the date, according to the decision of the Supreme Court, of the beginning of the existence of the United States of America. At the time of the Declaration of Independence Congress began preparing a "form of confederation" which should express the relative powers of the State and National Governments. The Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union of the United States of America were agreed to by the delegates of the thirteen original States in Congress assembled, November 15, 1777; subject to the ratification by the Legislatures of the several States. They were ratified by eight States July 9, 1778, and, therefore, bear that date. The last State, Maryland, did not ratify until March 1, 1781. The Second Continental Congress is considered to have lasted from May 10, 1775, until March 4, 1789, when, in accordance with the resolution of September 13, 1788, adopting the Federal Constitution, which had been previously ratified by the necessary number of States, its existence terminated. THE FEDERAL UNION, 1789. The privilege of becoming a member of the Federal Union by the mere ratification of the Constitution was reserved to those States alone that had been parties to the previous Confederation. By the provisions of the Constitution it was to go into effect when ratified by nine States-the exact date to be determined by Congress. The eleventh State, New York, ratified it July 26, 1788, and Congress, September 13, 1788, appointed the first Wednesday (4th day) of March, 1789, as the date when the new Government should begin. Two of the States, North Carolina (November 21, 1789) and Rhode Island (May 29, 1790) did not ratify the Constitution until after its establishment, yet they were not considered as new States, and their Senators and Representatives were admitted to Congress upon the presentation of their authenticated certificates of ratification. The Union having been completed, and its Constitution and Government established, the United States, under the Constitution (Art. IV. Sect. 3), reserved to themselves, in Congress assembled, the right and power to admit new States, by declaring that "new States may be admitted, etc." As the Constitution provides that "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government," it has been deemed requisite that each new State, on applying for admission, shall present with its application a copy of its Constitution, in order that Congress may judge if it be in conformity with the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution also provides (Art. IV. Sect. 3) that "Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property of the United States, etc." Under this clause Congress exercises the power of creating territorial governments, which may, after a time, when possessed of sufficient population and material resources, be admitted as sovereign States. It is by the operation of these clauses of the Constitution that the number of States has been increased from thirteen in 1790 to forty-four in 1891. *The official name is The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. * Act of Massachusetts Legislature relating to the separation of the District of Maine. † Texas declared its independence of Mexico in 1836, and was admitted as an independent State. California was acquired from Mexico by treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848. 2 Act of Virginia Legislature relating to the formation of the State of West Virginia. * Act of Congress extending certain laws of the United States over the Territory. Resigned, John Caldwell Calhoun, December 28, 1832. Originally, Daniel Tompkins. He added the "D" while at school to distinguish himself from another Daniel Tompkins. Originally, Jeremiah Jones Colbaith. On reaching his majority, he obtained authority from the Legislature to change his name to Henry Wilson. |