delegate to the Continental Congress (1774–76, 1777–78), “president” of Delaware (1778–81), and key signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Rodney had served as high sheriff of Kent County, Del. (1755), and as a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress (1765). One of Delaware's three delegates to the Continental Congress, Rodney had been away in Delaware when he got word of the impending vote on the resolution for independence. Hurrying back to Philadelphia on horseback, he arrived in time to break the tie in his delegation and cast Delaware's deciding vote for independence.

In 1777 he was made commander of the Delaware militia with the rank of brigadier general. In 1783, after his term as “president,” he was elected to the legislature but died the next year.