Key Figures at the Second Continental Congress- Who Were the Main Players?

What Was the Second Continental Congress?

The Second Continental Congress met in May 1775, roughly a month after the shots at Lexington and Concord. Unlike its predecessor, this wasn't a gathering of colonists complaining about taxes. This was a de facto government running a war effort while debating independence.

It lasted until 1781. During that time, this group raised an army, printed money, negotiated foreign aid, and eventually declared independence. The people in that room shaped America's founding more than any other single institution.

The Main Players: Key Figures at the Second Continental Congress

John Adams — Massachusetts

Adams was the engine behind independence. He pushed harder than anyone else for a formal break from Britain. He nominated Washington to command the army. He badgered Jefferson into writing the Declaration (though Adams later claimed Jefferson wrote better prose).

He wasn't liked. He was too sharp, too argumentative. But he was right when it mattered most.

Benjamin Franklin — Pennsylvania

Franklin was the senior statesman in the room. He'd been in London negotiating for years. He understood European politics better than anyone else present.

His real work happened in Paris after 1776, securing French alliance and supplies. But in Philadelphia, he was the voice of experience. Everyone listened when Franklin spoke.

Thomas Jefferson — Virginia

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. That's his legacy. The Congress edited his draft heavily—most notably removing a section condemning the slave trade.

He was 33 years old. He hated public speaking. He let Adams defend the document in debates. Jefferson was better with words on paper than in rooms full of people.

George Washington — Virginia

Washington showed up in uniform. The Congress made him commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in June 1775. He hadn't commanded troops in combat since the French and Indian War, but his reputation and presence were enough.

He ran the military side. Congress ran everything else. That tension—civilian control versus military necessity—never quite went away.

John Hancock — Massachusetts

Hancock signed the Declaration in enormous handwriting so King George could read it without his spectacles. That wasn't vanity—it was a middle finger to the crown.

He served as president of the Congress. He wasn't the smartest delegate, but he had money, influence, and he backed independence from the start. Sometimes that's enough.

John Dickinson — Pennsylvania

Dickinson was the main obstacle to independence until mid-1776. He believed reconciliation was still possible. He drafted the Olive Branch Petition, begging the king for peace.

When that failed, he finally voted for independence—but refused to sign the Declaration because it didn't do enough to protect individual rights. He was complicated. He was also right about some things and wrong about others.

Roger Sherman — Connecticut

Sherman is the forgotten founder. He never gave a famous speech. He wrote no founding documents. But he served on the committee that drafted the Declaration, contributed to the Articles of Confederation, and helped frame the Northwest Ordinance.

He was a cobbler turned judge turned statesman. He understood law, commerce, and compromise. The system worked because people like Sherman made it work.

Robert Morris — Pennsylvania

Morris was the financier of the revolution. Congress had no money. Morris found it anyway—borrowing, requisitioning, printing. He personally guaranteed loans when Congress's credit ran out.

He wasn't always honest about where the money came from. But the army didn't starve, and that's what mattered.

Comparing the Key Delegates

What the Congress Actually Did

Beyond declaring independence, the Congress:

• Established the Continental Army and appointed Washington
• Authorized privateering against British shipping
• Printed continental currency (which rapidly lost value)
• Sent diplomatic missions to France and Spain
• Adopted the Articles of Confederation in 1777 (though states didn't ratify until 1781)
• Managed the war effort through committees and commissions

It was messy. It was slow. Delegates argued about everything. But it kept the revolution alive when Britain had every advantage.

Getting Started: How to Study These Figures

If you want to dig deeper:

• Read the sources first — The journals of the Continental Congress are online. They show you what actually happened, not what historians later claimed.
• Start with one person** — Pick Adams, Franklin, or Jefferson. Follow their specific involvement. Trying to learn everything at once gets you nothing.
• Cross-reference letters** — Delegates wrote constantly. Their private letters reveal what they actually thought versus what they said in Congress.
• Use primary sources** — The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and Washington's correspondence are all freely available online through the National Archives.