The Halifax Resolves was a name later given to the resolution adopted by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on April 12, 1776. The adoption of the resolution was the first official action in the

American Colonies The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Founded in the 17th and 18th centur ...

calling for independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution. The Halifax Resolves helped pave the way for the presentation to Congress of the United States Declaration of Independence less than three months later.

Background

The creation and ratification of the resolves was the result of a strong movement in the colonies advocating separation from Great Britain. These separatists, or " American Whigs" (later, "Patriots"), sought to mobilize public support for a much discussed and all encompassing declaration of independence. The primary impediment to an outright declaration of independence from Great Britain was that none of the delegates to the

Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress was a late-18th-century meeting of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that united in support of the American Revolutionary War. The Congress was creating a new country it first named "United Colonies" and in 1 ...

were authorized by their home governments to take any action that would lead to such a declaration. Advocates of independence therefore sought to revise the instructions to each congressional delegation and remove any restrictions regarding a declaration of independence.

History

The resolution of April 12, 1776, became known as the Halifax Resolves because the Fourth Provincial Congress of North Carolina adopted them while meeting in the town of Halifax, North Carolina. The 83 delegates present unanimously adopted the resolves, which encouraged delegates to the Continental Congress from all the colonies to finally push for independence. The adoption of the Halifax Resolves was the first official action in the colonies calling for independence from Great Britain., from ''North Carolina Manual'', 2012; Kelly Agan, Government & Heritage Library, 2017

Drive to independence

The Halifax Resolves only empowered North Carolina's three delegates to the

(

Joseph Hewes Joseph Hewes (July 9, 1730– November 10, 1779) was an American Founding Father, a signer of the Continental Association and U.S. Declaration of Independence, and a native of Princeton, New Jersey, where he was born in 1730. Hewes's parents ...

, William Hooper, and John Penn) to join with those from other colonies to declare independence from Great Britain's rule. With the passage of the resolves, North Carolina became the first colony to explicitly permit their delegates to vote in favor of independence.''NC History''
article at "Learn NC" online; retrieved December 15, 2012 The Halifax Resolves, however, stopped short of instructing North Carolina's delegates to introduce a resolution of independence to Congress, a step which was taken by Virginia in June with the adoption of the Lee Resolution The

issued the United States Declaration of Independence the following month, in July.

Legacy

Every year, on April 12, the Halifax Historic District, a historic site operated by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, celebrates Halifax Day. Interpreters in period costumes provide guided tours of historic buildings, demonstrate historic crafts and teach about colonial activities. Occasionally, reenactors portray revolutionary-era soldiers and demonstrate the use of historic weapons during the Halifax Day events.''Halifax Day''
"North Carolina Historic Sites" online; retrieved April 2013

References

External links

Historic Halifax
{{Authority control 1776 in the United States Documents of the American Revolution Halifax County, North Carolina North Carolina in the American Revolution United States documents