Declaration of Independence Simulation

New Hampshire

Welcome to the Continental Congress honorable delegate. You represent the great Colony of New Hampshire. The reason we have gathered here today is to decide the question of independence. For years you and the northern colonies have born the brunt of New Hampshire will fight for independence until the end. The following papers are a resource for you to use that include what some of our fellows patriots have said.

Here are some of your fellow delegates:

• Josiah Bartlett
• William M Whipple
• Matthew Thornton

Delaware

Welcome to the Continental Congress honorable delegate. You represent the great Colony of Delaware. The reason we have gathered here today is to decide the question of independence. For years you and the northern colonies have born the brunt of Delaware will fight for independence until the end. The following papers are a resource for you to use they are some of our fellows patriots have said.

Here are some of your fellow delegates:

New Jersey

Welcome to the Continental Congress honorable delegate. You are the honorable delegate of New Jersey. The question that we are gathered here today to discuss is independence. You are for independence but you believe that the time is not quite right and your legislature has not given you any instructions as to how to vote. This is your main reason for not supporting independence. The following papers are to help you represent the people of New Jersey. Regardless of your personal convictions, you are a servant of the people and must act as they would and as of this moment they do not support independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Richard Stockton
• John Witherspoon
• Francis S Hopkinson
• John Hart
• Abraham Clark

Rhode Island

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the delegate from Rhode Island. Rhode Island is a land full of people who love liberty and are for independence with all of their hearts. The following papers are for your use. They are what your follow patriots have said about independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Stephen Hopkins
• William Ellery

Connecticut

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the delegate from Connecticut. Connecticut is a land full of people who love liberty and are for independence with all of their hearts. The following papers are for your use. They are what your follow patriots have said about independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Roger Sherman
• Samuel Huntington
• Wm Williams
• Oliver Wolcott

Massachusetts

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You have the privilege to be a delegate of Massachusetts. Your colony has done the most for the cause of liberty and you and your fellow delegates are some of the key movers for liberty. Your colony has truly born the brunt of King George’s anger, troops reside in your colony and in your harbors pillaging your lands and burning your homes. You must fight with all of your strength for independence. The following papers are a resource for you to use that include what some of your fellow patriots have said.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Samuel Adams
• John Adams
• Robert Treat Paine
• Elbridge Gerry

After everyone has had their fill debates, make a motion that the vote on independence be postponed until July 1^st so that a written document might be presented and the delegations might receive word from their legislatures.

New York

Welcome to the continental congress. You are the honorable delegate from New York, one of the biggest colonies in North America. The question that we are gathered her today to discus is independence. You are for independence but you believe that the time is not quite right and your legislature has not given you any instructions as to how to vote. This is your main reason for not supporting independence. The following papers are to help you represent the people of New York. Regardless of your personal convictions, you are the servant of the people and must act as they would and as of this moment they do not support independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• William Floyd
• Philip Livingston
• Francis Lewis
• Lewis Morris

Pennsylvania

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegate of Pennsylvania. You represent a large portion of the nation because of the size of Pennsylvania. The question that we are gathered here today to discus is independence. You are for independence but you believe that the time is not quite right; it would be disastrous for the people of Pennsylvania if the congress were to declare independence now. The time is not right. The following papers are to help you represent the people of Pennsylvania. Regardless of your personal convictions, you are a servant of the people and must act as they would and as they would and as of this moment they do not support independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Robert Morris
• Benjamin Rush
• Benjamin Franklin
• John Morton
• George Clymer
• James Smith
• George Taylor
• James Wilson
• George Ross

Maryland

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegate of Maryland. You represent a large portion of the nation because of the size of Maryland. The question that we are gathered here today to discus is independence. You are for independence but you believe that the time is not quite right and your legislature has not given you any instructions as to how to vote. This is your main reason for not supporting independence. The following papers are to help you represent the people of Maryland. Regardless of your personal convictions, you are a servant of the people and must act as they would and as of this moment they do not support independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Samuel Chase
• William Paca
• Thomas Stone
• Charles Carrollton

Virginia

Welcome to the Continental Congress, you have the honor of representing the first colony of America, Virginia, home to George Washington our fearless leader.

Richard Henry Lee has just returned back from Virginia with a resolution from the Virginia Legislator a resolution that if passed will bring freedom to all Americans.

The resolution is as follows:

Resolved

“That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

That is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign alliances.

That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective colonies for their consideration and approbation.”

It is evident from this resolution that you are for independence. Defend it with all that you have. The fallowing papers will help you with your quest for independence. They are some of the things your fellow patriots have said before you.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• George Wythe
• Richard Henry Lee
• Thomas Jefferson
• Benjamin Harrison
• Thomas Nelson, Jr.
• Francis Lightfoot Lee
• Carter Braxton

North Carolina

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegate from North Carolina. The question we have before us today is independence. The people of North Carolina are not opposed to independence so long as it does not interfere with the institution of slavery. On most issues North Carolina sides with South Carolina.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• William M. Hooper
• Joseph Hewes
• John Penn

South Carolina

Welcome to the Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegate of South Carolina. Your state is the leader of the South; what you vote the other southern states will most likely vote. The question that we were gathered here today to discus is independence. The state of South Carolina is in favor of independence. Slavery must not be touched for South Carolina to vote for independence.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Edward Rutledge
• Thomas Heyward, Jr.
• Thomas Lynch, Jr.
• Arthur Middleton

Georgia

Welcome the Continental Congress. You are the honorable delegate from Georgia. The question before us today is independence. The people of Georgia are not opposed to independence so long as it does not interfere with the institution of slavery. On most issues Georgia sides with interfere the institution of slavery. On most issues George sides with South Carolina.

Here are the other delegates from your state:

• Button Gwinnett
• Lyman Hall
• George Walton

Pennsylvania

Welcome back you must decide what is more important independence or security and money. And then vote accordingly.

Maryland

You have just received news that the people of Maryland want independence. You are now free to vote for a free nation.

New York

Welcome back. You have not received any news from you legislature as to what to do on the question of independence, but you have decided that if every other colony votes for independence you will vote for it.

New Jersey

You have just received news that the people of New Jersey want independence. You are now free to vote for a free nation.

South Carolina

The idea of independence is pleasing to you but you must protect your way of life and there is a clause in the declaration that speaks of slavery. If it is not removed you will not support this declaration or the idea of independence. Make a motion that the clause be stricken out. It begins with “He has waged cruel war”

Massachusetts

Oppose the omitting of the paragraph that talks about slavery. Slavery is an immoral institution and there is no way to justify it. How can petition for independence when we ourselves or oppressors of freedom.

North Carolina

North Carolina agrees with whatever South Carolina says. Do not allow the declaration to pass without the paragraph that talks about slavery being deleted, leave the Congress if necessary.

Georgia

If the paragraph that talks about slavery is not deleted from the Document you will leave the Continental Congress and in no way will you help the rest of the states in their cause for independence.

Virginia

Virginia would like the paragraph that talks about slavery to be removed but freedom is more important than the slavery issue.

Connecticut

Connecticut would not like the paragraph that reads: “He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.” to be removed. On the grounds that even though it never happened in Pennsylvania it has happened in other places.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania would like the paragraph that reads: “He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.” We would like to remove this on the grounds that the Pennsylvania house has never been dissolved and by allowing this to be in the document we would be lying.