Which American Colony was first to grant their Congressional delegation permission to vote for independence?

North Carolina was the first American colony to grant its Congressional delegation permission to vote for independence, through the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776.

Quick Scoop

The North Carolina Provincial Congress instructed its delegates in the Continental Congress to support independence from Great Britain.

That made North Carolina the first colony to formally authorize that vote, ahead of Virginia and the others.

Why it matters

This was an early official step toward the Declaration of Independence, and it showed that independence was already becoming the preferred path before July 1776.

The Halifax Resolves are often remembered as the moment North Carolina openly backed complete independence.

TL;DR

Answer: North Carolina.