Editing Committees of correspondence (section)

===Delaware===
{{Further|Delaware Colony}}
In [[Delaware Colony]], a committee of correspondence was established by [[Thomas McKean]] after ten years of agitation centered in [[New Castle County, Delaware|New Castle County]]. In neighboring [[Kent County, Delaware|Kent County]], [[Caesar Rodney]] set up a second committee, followed by [[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex County]]. Following the recommendation of the [[First Continental Congress]] in 1774, the committees were replaced by elected "committees of inspection" with a subcommittee of correspondence. The new committees specialized in intelligence work, especially the identification of men opposed to the [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriot]] cause. The committees were a driving force in popularizing the demand for independence.

The correspondence committees exchanged information with others in Boston, [[Philadelphia]], and elsewhere. Their leadership was often drawn upon to provide Delaware with executive leaders. The committees of inspection used publicity as weapons to suppress disaffection and encourage patriotism. With imports from Britain cut off, the committees sought to make America self-sufficient, so they encouraged the cultivation of flax and the raising of sheep for wool. The committees helped organize local militia in the hundreds and later in the counties and all of Delaware. With their encouragement, the Delaware Assembly elected delegates to [[Continental Congress]] favorable to independence.<ref>[[#Hancock|Hancock (1973)]]</ref>