1776 (film)

"I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a Congress! And by God, I have had this Congress! For ten years, King George and his Parliament have gulled, cullied, and diddled these colonies with their illegal taxes! Stamp Acts, Townshend Acts, Sugar Acts, Tea Acts! And when we dared stand up like men, they have stopped our trade, seized our ships, blockaded our ports, burned our towns, and spilled our BLOOD! And still, this Congress refuses to grant ANY of my proposals on independence, even so much as the courtesy of open debate! Good God, what in hell are you waiting for?"

"The Declaration will be a triumph, a triumph I say. (pauses) And if it isn't, we still have 4 days to think of something else."

"(to God) A second flood, a simple famine, plagues of locusts everywhere, or a cataclysmic earthquake, I'd accept with some despair. But no, you sent us Congress! Good God, Sir, was that fair?!"

"John Dickinson: Don't forget that most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor."

"John Dickinson: (after John Hancock calls for all members of the Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence) I'm sorry, Mr. President. I cannot, in good conscience, sign such a document. I will never stop hoping for our eventual reconciliation with England. But because, in my own way, I regard American no less than does Mr. Adams, I will join the army, and fight in her defense. Even though I believe that fight to be hopeless. Goodbye gentlemen."

"Richard Henry Lee: Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

"Continental Congress: (in unison) Oh for God sake's, John, SIT DOWN!!!"

"William Daniels as John Adams (MA)"

"Howard Da Silva as Dr. Benjamin Franklin (PA)"

"Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson (VA)"

"Donald Madden as John Dickinson (PA)"

"John Cullum as Edward Rutledge (SC)"

"Roy Poole as Stephen Hopkins (RI)"

"David Ford as John Hancock (MA)"

"Ron Holgate as Richard Henry Lee (VA)"

"Ray Middleton as Thomas McKean (DE)"

"William Hansen as Caesar Rodney (DE)"

"Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson"

"Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams"

"Emory Bass as James Wilson (PA)"

"Ralston Hill as Secretary Charles Thomson"

"Howard Caine as Lewis Morris (NY)"

"Patrick Hines as Samuel Chase (MD)"

"William Duell as Andrew McNair"

"Daniel Keyes as Josiah Bartlett (NH)"

"Leo Leyden as George Read (DE)"

"Stephen Nathan as Courier"

"Jonathan Moore as Lyman Hall (GA)"

"James Noble as Reverend John Witherspoon (NJ)"

"John Myhers as Robert Livingston (NY)"

"Rex Robbins as Roger Sherman (CT)"

"Charles Rule as Joseph Hewes (NC)"