It was a blazing hot July afternoon in Philadelphia as the delegates of the Second Continental Congress sat, waiting to vote on the very future of the United States of America.
John Adams was seated, isolated, from the others. Impatiently, he drummed his fingers on his desk, waiting for Mr. Hancock to begin the session. The other men around him, Franklin, Lee, Sherman, and Jefferson were all engaged in quiet chatter about the future of the country, or whether or not there would even be a United States of America. Normally, Adams would be in the thick of the discussion, but not today. It seemed very odd that young Tom Jefferson was standing, conversing with his colleagues and Adams was quietly seated.
"—That is not the question, here. We, four, here, are all in agreement of independence, surely. However, it is absolutely imperative that we all are in perfect agreement. This entire congress must be in agreement on independence," Franklin stated to his colleagues.
"I quite agree. The states must unite and become in like-mindedness before we can ever strive to become a nation. We must reach an understanding with one another if we ever hope to be separate from the Mother Country," Jefferson replied. Sherman shook his head in agreement and approval. The men were, of course, right. If they, as a Congress, could not agree on such an important matter as this, then how was anyone else supposed to involve themselves and support a rebel's cause?