The man who first moved for American independence from Great Britain

Cultures · Published 1 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While many remember the Declaration of Independence, few recall the specific motion that set it in motion. In June 1776, Richard Henry Lee proposed the resolution that fundamentally severed all political ties to the British crown, transforming a colonial rebellion into a formal quest for a new nation.

A prominent figure from a politically influential Virginia family, Richard Henry Lee was an early and vocal advocate for colonial autonomy. Long before the Revolutionary War began, Lee was involved in resistance efforts, such as authoring the 1 766 Westmoreland Resolution against the British Stamp Act. He also helped establish Committees of Correspondence to unite independence-minded colonists.

In June 1776, during the Second Continental Congress, Lee introduced the Lee Resolution. This pivotal motion asserted that the colonies were, by right, free and independent states, and that all allegiance to the British crown should be totally dissolved. Although Lee had returned to Virginia for health reasons by the time the final vote occurred, he later returned to Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Lee's political career was marked by both leadership and principled opposition. He served as the president of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation from late 1784 to late 1785. Later, as a U.S. Senator from 1789 to 1792, he stood as an anti-Federalist, opposing the ratification of the Constitution alongside William Grayson. He also championed a plan to fund federal debt through the sale of western lands, though the plan struggled due to a lack of resources to manage the territory.

Despite facing debilitating illnesses like epilepsy, Lee remained active in public life, even leading a small militia to repel British raiders from his plantation in 1781. He eventually retired from politics in 1792 due to failing health, leaving behind a legacy as a primary architect of American sovereignty.

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