What was the main reason Americans waited for over a year after fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord to declare their independence?

Americans waited over a year to declare independence after the fighting at Lexington and Concord primarily due to a desire for reconciliation with Britain. Many colonists initially hoped to resolve their grievances through negotiation and believed they could restore their rights as British subjects without severing ties. Additionally, there was a lack of consensus among the colonies about the necessity and implications of full independence, as well as concerns about the potential consequences of such a drastic step. It wasn't until the growing realization of the impossibility of peaceful resolution and the influence of revolutionary ideas that the push for independence gained momentum.