First Continental Congress

Before the Congress…• Representatives from all over South

Carolina met in Charles Town to choose delegates to send to Philadelphia.• While there, they created the

“General Committee of 99” to govern the colony.

South Carolina Representatives• Representatives were wealthy

men from the Lowcountry.–Thomas Lynch–John Rutledge–Henry Middleton–Christopher Gadsden–Edward Rutledge

Congressional Roles• South Carolina representatives supported

independence.• John Rutledge served on the committee

that drafted a letter to the British people explaining the colonists position.

• Thomas Lynch & Christopher Gadsden helped design the non-importation/non-exportation agreement

Non-Importation/Non-Exportation Agreement

• The First Continental Congress agreed that the colonies would not buy certain items from Great Britain, or sell certain items to them.

• South Carolina’s delegates argued that the sale of rice was essential to their survival, so it was excluded from the list (even though rice from other colonies was not).

Second Continental Congress

South Carolina Delegates•Arthur Middleton• Thomas Lynch, Jr.• Thomas Heyward, Jr.• Edward Rutledge

Views on Independence• On the first vote for independence the

delegates voted against it.• On the second vote, the delegates voted for

it.• No one knows why they switched their vote.• While the South Carolina delegates

supported the Declaration, not all South Carolinians thought the colonies should be independent.