1776 Essay, Research Paper
1776
Broadway s version of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of
Independence is portrayed in 1776. It has representatives of the original thirteen colonies
that gathered in the swealtering heat of a Philadelphia summer as the Continental
Congress argued. Within itself, it is divided over the question of American
Independence. The men have grown tired of listening to John Adams’ repeated pleas for
Independence. In fact, Adams himself had grown weary of the delegates’ ability to agree
on anything, let alone an issue as important as Independence. Adams explains his
situation, and tells his frustrations to his wife, through letters and imagined
conversations.
Adams and Ben Franklin ultimately decide that, since Adams’ is only looked upon
as “obnoxious and disliked”, the only way to get a resolution of independence introduced
to Congress, is to persuade another delgate, Virginia s Richard Henry Lee, to make the
proposal.
Lee returns from Virgina with the proposal, opening up the issue to debate.
Adams argues with Pennsylvania s John Dickinson, who is strongly opposed to
independence. After much battle, the proposal gets put up for vote, but not before
Dickinson insures that the vote must be unanimous. Adams and Franklin suggest the
writing of a “declaration”, to spell out “their goals and aims” and “reasons for separation”.
The Members of Congress assigned to the Declaration Committee (Franklin,
Adams, Roger Sherman of CT, and Robert Livingston of NY) avoid writing the
document, and elect the well written Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson, however, is unable to
concentrate starting the document because he is
behind in Virginia 6 months earlier. Adams calls for Mrs. Jefferson to come to
Philadelphia, believing that “the sooner his problem is solved, the sooner our problem
will be solved.”
Dickinson, meanwhile, tries to keep the opposition to Adams in tact while,
General George Washinton’s courierrepeatedly brings discouraging dispatches from the
battlefront.
The Declaration finally written, Adams and Franklin convince Jefferson of the
genius and strength of his words, but are quickly disheartened to see Congress pick the
document apart with no remorse. Jefferson agrees to smaller, insignificant criticisms of
the Declaration, but stands his ground when the abolition of slavery is unimpassionately
challenged by South Carolina’s Edward Rutledge.
With half of the Congress walking out with Rutledge, Adams’ dreams of
independence appear to be over. However, one by one, individual delegates begin to
come around to Adams’ side. In a major compromise, Jefferson resentfuly agrees to
remove the slavery clause in order to win back the two Carolinas. A split Delaware vote
goes back in favor of Adams when a dying Caesar Rodney is brought to Philadelphia
from his death bed.
Pennsylvania becomes the last step for Adams. While Franklin is clearly on his
side, Dickinson is against him. The other Pennsylvania delegate, the (follow the crowd)
James Wilson, has long been on Dickinson s side. But when the final vote takes place,
and it is Wilson’s vote that will make Independence either live or die, Wilson s vote with
Franklin in order to “remain one of many” rather than “be remembered as the man who
prevented American Independence”.