On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, Samuel Ward died of smallpox. Ward was a delegate from Rhode Island in the Second Continental Congress and an early advocate for Independence. He was a fearless defender of American liberties who worked assiduously to create our Nation and should be honored as one of our Founding Fathers even though he died before he could sign the Declaration of Independence.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Ward_(Rhode_Island_politician); https://www.founderoftheday.com/founder-of-the-day/ward

On this day 250 years ago in Charlestown, the South Carolina Provincial Congress adopts a Constitution for the state and transforms itself into the South Carolina General Assembly. In effect, South Carolina declared Independence. It was the second of the original 13 colonies to make itself Independent of Great Britain.

https://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/south-carolina-becomes-an-independent-state.html; https://www.powdermagazinemuseum.org/history250; https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/sc01.asp