In June 1776, the American colonies formally initiated their push for sovereignty through critical political resolutions and major military actions. On June 7, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution to the Continental Congress stating that the colonies “are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” Recognizing the weight of this proposal, Congress appointed the Committee of Five on June 11 to draft a formal document declaring independence. This prestigious committee consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. Simultaneously, state-level governance was rapidly evolving; on June 12, the Virginia Convention adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which established fundamental freedoms that heavily influenced Jefferson’s writing and the future U.S. Bill of Rights.

The final days of the month brought both decisive military success and major political milestones. On June 28, the Committee of Five officially submitted its final draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress for review. That very same day, far to the south, Patriot forces at Fort Sullivan in Charleston Harbor repelled a massive British sea and land assault. This crucial victory at what was later named Fort Moultrie boosted American morale and kept the British out of the South for several years.

The momentum carried directly into June 29, when the Virginia state constitution was officially adopted and Patrick Henry was sworn in as the commonwealth’s first governor. While the American colonies restructured their governments on the Atlantic coast, Spanish colonists were expanding their footprint on the Pacific, founding Mission Dolores on June 29 in present-day San Francisco, California. Collectively, these events set the final stage for the historic vote on independence just days later.

Timeline of June 1776

June 7: Richard Henry Lee introduced the resolution for independence to Congress.

June 11: The Committee of Five was appointed to draft the declaration.

June 12: Virginia adopted its historic Declaration of Rights.

June 28: The draft declaration was submitted, and Patriots won at Fort Sullivan.

June 29: Virginia adopted its constitution, and Mission Dolores was founded.