243 Years Ago Today the Continental Congress Voted for Independence

John Adams, who would become the second president of the United States, thought that date would be the most celebrated day in American history. However, the nation’s birthday has instead been celebrated on July 4 — the day that the edited version of the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted.

The congressional action did not lead the nation into a fight for independence. Instead, it simply ratified what had already happened. The War for Independence began 15 months before the formal declaration was issued. In fact, by the time Congress acted, a majority of the British governors had already been forced to flee the new nation.

However, political leaders recognized the importance of unity. They continued debating and addressing concerns until a unanimous vote could be obtained. That happened 243 years ago today. Twelve colonies voted for independence, and New York abstained.

Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author. Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of the Rasmussen Media Group. He is the author of "Mad as Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System," "In Search of Self-Governance," and "The People’s Money: How Voters Will Balance the Budget and Eliminate the Federal Debt." Read more reports from Scott Rasmussen — Click Here Now.