Question: Who plays the man who presided over the body with the power to declare war at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Sons of Liberty?

<P0-S0> Ben Barnes as Samuel ``Sam ''Adams Marton Csokas as General Thomas Gage Ryan Eggold as Dr. Joseph Warren Michael Raymond - James as Paul Revere Rafe Spall as John Hancock Henry Thomas as John Adams Jason O'Mara as George Washington Dean Norris as Benjamin Franklin Emily Berrington as Margaret Kemble Gage Sean Gilder as Thomas Hutchinson Kevin J. Ryan as John Pitcairn Shane Taylor as Captain Thomas Preston Jimmy Akingbola as Peter Salem <SEP> <P1-S0> the constitution also gives congress an important role in national defense, including the exclusive power to declare war, to raise and maintain the armed forces, and to make rules for the military. <P1-S1> some critics charge that the executive branch has usurped congress's constitutionally - defined task of declaring war. <P1-S2> while historically presidents initiated the process for going to war, they asked for and received formal war declarations from congress for the war of 1812, the mexican -- american war, the spanish -- american war, world war i, and world war ii, although president theodore roosevelt's military move into panama in 1903 did not get congressional assent. <P1-S3> presidents have initiated war without congressional war declarations; truman called the korean war a ``police action ''and the vietnam war lasted over a decade without a declaration of war. <P1-S4> in 1970, time magazine noted:`` all told, it has been calculated, u.s. presidents have ordered troops into position or action without a formal congressional declaration a total of 149 times'' before 1970. in 1993, one writer noted ``congress's war power has become the most flagrantly disregarded provision in the constitution, ''and that the`` real erosion (of congressional authority to declare war) began after world war ii.'' <P1-S5> president george h.w. <P1-S6> bush claimed he could begin operation desert storm and launch a ``deliberate, unhurried, post -- cold war decision to start a war ''without congressional approval. <P1-S7> critics charge that president george w. bush largely initiated the iraq war with little debate in congress or consultation with congress, despite a congressional vote on military force authorization. <P1-S8> disagreement about the extent of congressional versus presidential power regarding war has been present periodically throughout the nation's history. <SEP> <P2-S0> The president is the civilian Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. <P2-S1> However, only the Congress is explicitly granted the power to declare war per se, as well as to raise, fund and maintain the armed forces. <P2-S2> He has the authority to command them to take appropriate military action in the event of a sudden crisis. <P2-S3> Congress also has the duty and authority to prescribe the laws and regulations under which the armed forces operate, such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and requires that all Generals and Admirals appointed by the president be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate before they can assume their office. <SEP> <P3-S0> it existed from the signing of the treaty of córdoba and the declaration of independence of the mexican empire in september 1821 until the emperor's abdication in march 1823 when the provisional government took power and the first mexican republic was proclaimed in 1824. the first and only monarch of the state was agustín de iturbide, reigning as agustín i of mexico, for less than eight months. <P3-S1> the empire was briefly reestablished by the french in 1863. <SEP> <P4-S0> President John Hancock is remembered for his large, bold signature on the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted and signed during his presidency. <P4-S1> Fourteen men served as president of Congress. <P4-S2> The first was Peyton Randolph, who was elected on September 5, 1774. <P4-S3> The last president, Cyrus Griffin, resigned in November 1788.