Editing 1776 (musical) (section)

=== Act I ===
On May 8, 1776, the [[Second Continental Congress]], convening in Philadelphia at present-day [[Independence Hall]], proceeds with its business. [[John Adams]], the widely disliked delegate from Massachusetts, is frustrated because Congress will not even debate his proposals on independence. The other delegates, preoccupied with the rising heat, implore him to "Sit Down, John." Adams denounces the do-nothing Congress ("Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve"), then reads the latest missive to his loving wife [[Abigail Adams|Abigail]], who speaks to him in his imagination ("Till Then"). Later, Adams meets delegate [[Benjamin Franklin]], who suggests that, because Adams is unpopular, he should let another delegate propose a resolution on independence. [[Richard Henry Lee]] of Virginia enters, having been summoned by Franklin; Franklin persuades Lee to ask the [[Virginia House of Burgesses]] to authorize a pro-independence resolution ("The Lees of Old Virginia").

Weeks later, new delegate Dr. [[Lyman Hall]] of Georgia arrives and is introduced to many important members of Congress, including [[Andrew McNair (bellringer)|Andrew McNair]], the custodian; [[Stephen Hopkins (politician)|Stephen Hopkins]] of Rhode Island; [[Edward Rutledge]] of South Carolina; and [[Caesar Rodney]] of Delaware, among others. As Congress is assembled, [[John Hancock]], the president of Congress, notes that the entire New Jersey delegation has been absent for quite some time. A gloomy dispatch from [[George Washington]], commander of the Continental Army, arrives by courier and is read aloud by [[Charles Thomson]], the Congressional Secretary. Comically, the proceedings are interrupted when a fire wagon passes by. Shortly thereafter,  Richard Henry Lee returns, bearing [[Lee Resolution|a resolution for independence]]. Elated, Adams seconds the motion to open debate on the resolution.

[[John Dickinson]] of Pennsylvania, a conservative and royal apologist, immediately moves to table the debate. The vote is close, but debate is ultimately approved, prompting Dickinson to denounce the desire for independence as an overreaction to petty squabbles with Great Britain. The debate becomes more heated and personal, sparking a physical fight between Dickinson and Adams and causing Caesar Rodney (who is ailing from cancer) to collapse. Rodney is taken back to Delaware, leaving [[George Read (American politician, born 1733)|George Read]] as their delegation's sole vote. Since Read is a conservative, South Carolina's Edward Rutledge moves to quickly end the debate and vote on independence, knowing it is likely to fail. At this moment, the new delegation from New Jersey arrives, with leader the Reverend [[John Witherspoon]] announcing he has explicit orders to vote ''for'' independence. Adams, now seeing a path to victory, pushes to proceed with the vote, since ties are broken by Hancock and Adams believes Hancock is a firm believer in independence.

Dickinson suddenly makes another motion: that any vote in favor of independence must be unanimous. The vote, predictably, ends in a tie, but Hancock unexpectedly votes in favor of unanimity, explaining that if the colonies are not unanimous in their opinion, loyalist colonies will be turned against pro-independence colonies, spawning a civil war.

Looking for a way to save the independence movement, Adams moves to postpone the vote to allow for the creation of a formal Declaration of Independence that can be used in the courts of Europe to rally favor and assistance to the cause of American independence (this will also grant Adams time to persuade the anti-independence delegates to his side). Again, the vote ties; this time, Hancock votes with Adams, as many in Congress would like to have a break. Before they adjourn, John Hancock appoints a [[Committee of Five|committee]] of Adams, Franklin, [[Roger Sherman]] of Connecticut, [[Robert R. Livingston (chancellor)|Robert Livingston]] of New York, and [[Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson]] (who is on the point of going home to see his wife, whom he has not seen in six months) to draft the declaration. The five argue about who should write the declaration ("But, Mr. Adams"); the choice falls on a reluctant Jefferson, since Adams is "obnoxious and disliked", Franklin won't write politics, Sherman has no writing ability and Livingston is headed home to celebrate the birth of his new son.

A week later, Adams and Franklin visit Jefferson, who has spent the week moping; however, Adams has sent for Jefferson's beloved wife [[Martha Jefferson|Martha]] on the grounds that "the sooner [Jefferson's] problem was solved, the sooner [theirs] would." She enters, and Adams and Franklin leave the young lovers in peace.  Adams, alone, again exchanges letters with his wife Abigail ("Yours, Yours, Yours"). The next morning, Franklin and Adams return and formally introduce themselves to Martha, asking her how the deeply intellectual and usually uncommunicative Jefferson wooed her ("He Plays the Violin"). Jefferson enters and silently reclaims his wife, requesting the other two men (by means of a note) to "kindly go away."