Question

When the Second Continental Congress met in 1775, they formed an army and picked Washington as commander, but still held out hope that Britain would redress their grievances. It cut off comμnications with the British government. It continued to stall on the creation of a navy. Its members felt a strong desire for independence.

a) Formation of the navy
b) Hope for British redress
c) Strong desire for independence
d) Comμnication with the British government

Answer 1

The Second Continental Congress initially desired reconciliation with Britain; however, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence marked a definitive move towards seeking independence.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the Second Continental Congress in 1775, the American colonies still held out hope for reconciliation with Britain while preparing for potential conflict. The formation of the Continental Army, with George Washington as its commander, was a significant step towards unifying the colonies for defense.

Despite this, there was a hope for British redress of grievances which shows they were not yet fully committed to the idea of independence. It wasn't until the drafting and the release of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, authored by Thomas Jefferson, that the shift towards fighting for independence became the primary focus of the American colonies. This change in direction was a culmination of over a century of growing differences between the colonies and the British monarchy.