September 10, 1776: Permission to Leave New York, Resolve to Remain Independent

Two hundred and fifty years ago today, the American Revolution was being sustained by decisions that offered little opportunity for celebration. On September 10, 1776, Congress clarified that George Washington could determine when to evacuate New York. Meanwhile, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Edward Rutledge were on a diplomatic journey that would test whether peace and independence could coexist.

It is a useful day to remember because it catches the founding generation in the middle of the uncertainty. They had declared a country. They still had to find a way to keep it alive.

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