UNITED COLONIES OF AMERICA: THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS A Play in One Act
CAST LIST: Narrator John Hancock, delegate from Massachusetts ( Became president of the Congress after Randolph was summoned back to the Virginia House of Burgesses) Ben Franklin, delegate from Virginia George Washington, delegate from Virginia Samuel Adams, delegate from Massachusetts and John Adams’ cousin John Adams, delegate from Massachusetts and Samuel Adams’ cousin John Jay delegate from New York Lyman Hall, delegate from Georgia King George III, King of England
ACT 1, SCENE 1
NARRATOR: It is May, 1775. Fifty-six educated men have been elected by their home colonies to represent them at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Georgian revolutionaries held their own colonial meeting and decided to send delegates to the Second Continental Congress. With the inclusion of Georgia, the Thirteen Colonies have come together for the first time in history. The delegates of the First Continental Congress had decided that they would meet again in May had the boycott of British goods failed. Once again, it is hot and stuffy in the meeting hall, and the delegates have just filed in. There is a sense of nervous excitement in the air.
(Delegates are talking amongst themselves about what they should do with England now.)
JOHN HANCOCK: (bangs gavel on podium) Order! Order!
(Delegates silence themselves.)
JOHN HANCOCK: Welcome, brothers, to this SECOND ever Continental Congress. We have gathered here today as united colonies, with the inclusion of our Georgian brothers.
LYMAN HALL: (Standing, tugging at his collar nervously) Um… well thank y’all for having me. On behalf of all Georgian’s, I would like to apologize for our… um… absence at the First Continental Congress. (All the other delegates look around at one another with suspicious grins.)
SAMUEL ADAMS: (Stands up and shouts.) ABSENCE!?! HA!! MORE LIKE COWARDICE!
(Some delegates’ chuckle silently, others look around embarrassed)
JOHN ADAMS: (Rising quickly to silence his cousin.) Ah cousin, lay off the man. They are closest to the Spanish border. It’s a valid reason to hold off on joining the cause.
JOHN JAY: (Stands up angrily) Samuel, your FOOLISHNESS never ceases to amaze me, sit DOWN! You’re constantly embarrassing all of us! How will we ever have the respect of other nations.
LYMAN HALL: (Still standing awkwardly.) Um… well… it is truly a pleasure to be here fighting for the same cause.
(Delegates cheer.)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (Looking noble and charming as ever.) Gentlemen, let us not forget the purpose of our gathering. Clearly, our plan to boycott British goods is not working.
SAMUEL ADAMS: (standing and yelling) AND THE RAT KING HAS NOT REPLIED TO OUR MESSAGE!!
(Delegates are cheering!)
BEN FRANKLIN: Gentlemen! GENTLEMEN! (The delegates stop cheering and silence themselves, looking at Franklin.) The events at Lexington and Concord are also most concerning.
SAMUEL ADAMS: (Reflectively) Good ol’ Paul Revere really did me a great kindness. Were it not for him I would be rotting in some LOBSTER CAGE.
(All delegates silently nodding their heads in agreement.)
BEN FRANKLIN: (speaking loudly and clearly) Gentlemen, we have a most important task that awaits us. As I have heard from other men who were present that famous September day, Patrick Henry’s words that he was now AN AMERICAN have stuck with us all. The task that awaits us will certainly be difficult, but we are here (looks at LYMAN HALL) UNITED AS ONE!!!
(Delegates cheer excitedly.) NARRATOR: Ben Franklin was right; the delegates had important business to take care of. They were not truly all members of America and had the American identity. The efforts of the First Continental Congress were successful in uniting the colonies, but it failed to fix the problems they had with the British.
ACT 1, SCENE 2
NARRATOR: With the delegates united as one, they get to work deciding on actions they needed to take. Meetings go on for a long amount of time. Finally the delegates are finalizing their plans.
JOHN HANCOCK: As you said Benny boy, the events at Lexington and Concord are extremely concerning and we are certainly past the point of attempting to make peace with the Crown.
BEN FRANKLIN: (puzzled look on his face) Did you just call me Benny boy!? (laughs silently before continuing) Anyway… our primary objective is to figure out how we can possibly meet the military threat of the British.
JOHN JAY: (with a smirk on his face) Well we did set up the militia last time and those minutemen did a great job fending off those Pesky redcoats at Lexington and Concord!
(Delegates hoot and holler)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (Rising from his chair looking very serious) If we want to beat an army we’ve got to get our own. I propose, before my fellow Americans that we shall create the Continental Army.
JOHN JAY: (interrupting calmly) George, even if we COULD pull that off, we don’t have anyone to lead an army. Instead of solving a problem, this would just be adding to our list of things we need to get accomplished. Besides, those minutemen have been doing a great job.
SAMUEL ADAMS: (A serious expression on his face) I hate to say it Washington, but for once the idiot might actually have a point.
LYMAN HALL: (Rising from his chair, speaking at a little more than a whisper) Well what about you… um… Mr. Washington?
JOHN ADAMS: (Speaking directly to Lyman Hall) SPEAK UP MAN! How do you expect 56 men to hear you when you speak like that!
LYMAN HALL: (A little more sure of himself, speaks louder) What about you, Mr. Washington sir. I mean I’ve heard tales that you commanded a portion of the British Army during that French and Indian War.
(Delegates whispering amongst themselves)
JOHN JAY: The man makes a good point George.
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (Shocked expression on his face) Well I mean, uh, yeah I guess I did do that… BUT I mean guys I really don’t think I should be… I mean the minutemen are doing a good job.
SAMUEL ADAMS: (Grinning) AY GEORGE WASHINGTON COMMANDER OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY! That has a nice ring to it!
(Delegates nod their heads in agreement)
JOHN HANCOCK: Well looks like its decided then, unless you have an objection to that George?
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (Still shocked) Uhhh… Well I guess I accept!
(Delegates cheer loudly)
BEN FRANKLIN: (Standing) Gentlemen! I hate to be the guy to say it but how will we possibly pay for supplies?
SAMUEL ADAMS: (Laughing) Great point Ben, why don’t we just start printing our own money!
JOHN ADAMS: Actually, that could work, what an excellent idea cousin!
SAMUEL ADAMS: (Look of confusion on his face) Wait really? I mean of course it will work why else would I suggest it.
JOHN HANCOCK: So it’s decided, we will create a Continental Army and it will be lead by none other than the man himself George Washington. We shall also print our own money in order to pay for supplies!
(Delegates cheer once more!)
ACT 1, SCENE 3
NARRATOR: The delegates were once again satisfied with their plan of action. They felt confident that the Continental Army could be successful against the Red Coats mainly because the minutemen had already experienced some success. Meanwhile, back in England, King George has just received news of what has happened at the Second Continental Congress.
KING GEORGE: (in an English accent, sounding annoyed) These fools really believe that they could actually raise an army against me!?
(King George sitting on his thrown takes a sip from his golden chalice)
KING GEORGE: (laughing hysterically) George Washington!?! They’re going to let GEORGE WASHINGTON lead this little army? HA, HA HA!!! This is even better than the last time they had their little meeting! As I have said many times before we shall let blows decide whether they are to be subject to this country or independent. These FOOLS WILL BE DESTROYED!!!
NARRATOR: King George made has once again made a fatal mistake. He has underestimated the power of the patriots. The American Revolution was just about to begin heating up and the Red Coats, like King George are completely underestimating the Patriots.
THE END