Event · Significance tier 1
Richard Henry Lee moves for independence
Acting under Virginia’s instructions, Lee proposed that the united colonies were free and independent states and that foreign alliances and confederation should follow.
- Category
- constitutional
- Episode relations
- 1
Episode coverage
Episode 2
substantial · spoken: caption verified
Visual check: sequence context
Why this coverage: The narration dates Lee's introduction of the resolutions and quotes their declaration that the colonies were free and independent states.
Caption entry: 01:47:01.681
Reviewed sequence context: ep2-cue-10-independence-coalition
Why it matters
The resolution joined independence to diplomacy and union, revealing that separation required an international and institutional program.
Why this tier
The motion put the legal question of independence formally before Congress.
Counterfactual test: Without a motion backed by colonial instructions, Congress could not have converted growing sentiment into an authoritative vote.