The+Second+Continental+Congress

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====**The Second Continental Congress** met after the battles of Lexington and Concord. They met on **May 10th, 1776** in the State House in Pennsylvania, which is now called **Independence Hall.** The Second Continental Congress had a few delegates that weren't at the First Continental Congress. Some of the delegates were **Thomas Jefferson**, **Benjamin Franklin**, and the new President of the Continental Congress, **John Hancock**. There were sixty-five delegates total in the Second Continental Congress. Thomas Jefferson was a plantation owner and a lawyer, but he was know for his writing. Although Benjamin Franklin wanted independence, some of the delegates disagreed. On the day that the Congress gathered, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had captured **Fort Ticonderoga** on Lake Champlain in New York. At the Congress, they decided to break away from Great Britain altogether. On May 15th, 1776, they decided to officially put the colonies in a state of defense. They decided to form the **Continental Army**. On June 14th, 1776, they officially hired **George Washington** as Commander-in-Chief of the army. The Congress also discussed about whether or not to print paper money. This passed and paper money started to be printed later in the year. The Second Continental Congress was one of the most important government meetings in the history of The United States of America. Mainly because at that meeting, members of the Second Continental Congress wrote & signed the **Declaration of Independence.** When they signed it, John Hancock wrote his name first and biggest on the Declaration.==== media type="file" key="08_043_First_Continental_Congress_2.mp3" align="center" width="240" height="20"


 * The Second Continental Congress**