Road to Liberty: Richard Henry Lee

Richard Henry Lee, born on January 20, 1732, at Stratford Hall in Virginia, played an indispensable role for American independence. Over a long public life, he served in the Virginia House of Burgesses, as president of the Continental Congress, a U.S. Senator from Virginia, and as one of the first to hold the title of president pro tempore of the Senate.

Lee was educated at home before being sent to England at age 16 for formal schooling. He returned to Virginia in 1753 and soon entered public life, serving as a justice of the peace and later as a member of the House of Burgesses. Alongside figures like Patrick Henry, Lee became one of the earliest advocates for American independence, speaking out against British taxation policies.

As a delegate to the Continental Congress, Lee introduced the Lee Resolution, declaring that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States...” The resolution’s passage marked the formal break from British rule and set the stage for the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Lee remained active in national leadership after the war. From 1784 to 1785, he served as president of the Congress under the Articles of Confederation. In 1789, he was elected one of Virginia’s first U.S. Senators and briefly held the position of president pro tempore. He resigned in 1792 due to declining health.

Richard Henry Lee died on June 19, 1794, at the age of 62, at his estate in Chantilly, Virginia.