July 2, 1776

250 years ago today, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. The New York delegation abstained from the vote, but otherwise, it was unanimous, in part because some delegates who disagreed with independence absented themselves. On the afternoon of July 2, the Congress turned their attention to the draft Declaration of Independence which would announce their decision to the world. While they began that work, the news of their consequential vote spread. Benjamin Towne announced the vote in his Pennsylvania Evening Post, a triweekly evening newspaper in Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Printed by Benjamin Towne

This day the CONTINENTAL CONGRESS declared the UNITED COLONIES FREE and INDEPENDENT STATES.