Final answer:
The Continental Congress established the Navy in October 1775. Independence was declared on July 4, 1776.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Continental Congress established the Navy in October 1775, so the correct option is not provided in the question. The Second Continental Congress gathered in May 1775 to consider the response of George III to the petition drafted by the First Continental Congress in 1774. After the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, Congress decided to try one last time at reconciliation with the mother country. However, it soon became obvious that independence was the only option, and a committee was created to draft the Declaration of Independence, which was released to Congress on July 4, 1776.