Summary
With war already begun, delegates reconvene in Philadelphia and take on the work of an actual government: raising a Continental Army, printing money, and naming George Washington commander-in-chief. James sees how a gathering of arguing delegates slowly turns into the engine of a new nation.
Viewer safety
No violent content; historical debate and political tension.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
An army needs soldiers, supplies, money, and leadership. The Second Continental Congress had to invent all of it — acting like a national government before the nation officially existed.
- What jobs does a government have to do to run a war? Which would be hardest?
- Why did Congress choose one commander-in-chief instead of letting each colony lead its own troops?
- Where does a brand-new government get money when it has no taxes yet?
- How is making decisions as a large group different from deciding on your own?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: Continental Army, commander-in-chief, delegate, currency, govern.
Try it: List three things the Continental Congress had to provide for its army. Beside each, write where a government might get it (people, money, supplies). Star the one you think was the toughest to find.