Final answer:
The Second Continental Congress tried to make peace with Britain through Lord North's Conciliatory Proposition and the Olive Branch Petition. These attempts ultimately failed, leading to a commitment to independence with the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the Declaration of Independence, the Second Continental Congress attempted to make peace with Britain through various measures. Despite the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, the Congress sought one final chance at reconciliation.
They addressed Lord North's Conciliatory Proposition, which suggested that taxes would only be for regulating trade, an idea initially acceptable by the colonies. However, the proposition was considered insufficient, as it came after the colonies' grievances had escalated significantly.
In a final attempt at peace, the Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition in June 1775, which proposed two options - either grant the colonies free trade and taxes equivalent to those in Britain, or no taxes with strict trade regulations. The petition was taken to London by William Penn but was rejected by King George III. The king’s refusal to negotiate and subsequent declaration of the colonies in open rebellion further solidified the path towards independence.
Despite differing opinions on reconciliation within the Congress, influential figures like Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin saw independence as the only solution. Consequently, the Congress created a committee to draft a statement of independence, which was the Declaration of Independence, publicly proclaimed on July 4, 1776.