8th SS Notes Chp. 6.4 Declaring Independ

7/31/2019 8th SS Notes Chp. 6.4 Declaring Independ

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The Road to RevolutionChapter 6.4

Declaring IndependenceStandards: 7.11.6 & 8.1.2


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Second Continental Congress

In the wake of Lexington and Concord, onMay 10, Second Continental Congress met in

Philadelphia (first capital of US)

Delegates of the 13 colonies decided A. Formed the Continental Army

Appointed George Washington Commanding General

B. Began printing paper money to finance war

C. New Colonial Government


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Battle of Fort Ticonderoga

New York, May 10, 1775 Colonial Victory

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys

successfully capture much needed artillery(cannons)


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Battle of Bunker Hill

Boston, June 1775

British Victory

Actually fought on Breeds Hill

The under matched Colonial militia take the high

ground as the British storm the hillThe British won the battle but at tremendous

cost Appointed George Washington Commanding General

Significance The inexperienced militia held its own against the

much more experienced and most powerful army inthe world


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Olive Branch Petition

Americans still wavering between war andpeace

Less than 50% of population supportedAmerican Independence

In July of 1775, Second Continental Congressdrafted the Olive Branch Petition to seek apeaceful resolution in ending the conflict

King George III rejects the petition and wasdetermined to crush the rebellion

Established a naval blockade around the colonies

Hired German mercenaries (Hessians)


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Battle of Boston

Boston, JanuaryMarch 1776

Colonial Victory

Artillery from the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga

arrive which were used to surround Boston

Americans threatened to bombard the city,

which forced the 9,000 British soldiers and

1,000 loyalists to retreat and sail off to New

York

Significance

Americans recapture a major port city


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Siege of Boston


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Common Sense

Common Sense was a political pamphletwritten by Thomas Paine

Considered one of the most influential

political documents in history

Convinced colonists to seek American

Independence

A. All monarchies were corrupt

B. Strongly favored a Republican government,

that people should control their own destiny

C. America was economically independent


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Common Sense

Excerpt

Everything that is right or natural pleads for

separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping

voice of nature cries, Tis time to part. Even thedistance at which the Almighty had placed

England and America is a strong and natural

proof that the authority of the one over the

other was never the design of heaven.

Thomas Paine, Common Sense


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Thomas Paine, Common Sense


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Declaring Independence

By May of 1776, the Continental Congress wasstill divided and did not support independence

However, Congress authorized each colony to

establish their own governmentOn June 7, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia

introduced a key resolution that called thecolonies, free and independent states and

declared that all political connections betweenthem and the state of Great Britain totally

dissolved


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Declaring Independence

The Continental Congress formed acommittee to draft a Declaration ofIndependence

Committee Members

Thomas Jefferson

Benjamin Franklin

John Adams

The committee chose Thomas Jefferson of

Virginia to draft the resolution Great Writer

Needed Virginias support to gain independence


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The Declaration of Independence

On July 4, 1776, Congress adopted thedocument proclaiming it the Declaration

of Independence

Thomas Jefferson borrowed heavily fromthe philosophy ofJohn Locke on the

beliefs of human natural rights that we

are all born with (inalienable rights)


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Document organized into 5 sections A. Preamble

- Introduction and reasons for document

When in the course of human events, it becomes

necessary for one people to dissolve the political

bands which have connected them with another, and

to assume the Laws of Nature and of Natures God

entitle to them, a decent respect to the opinions ofmankind requires that they should declare the cause

which impel them to the separation.


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B. Rights of the People to Control their

Government- A. Natural Rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit and

Happiness

- B. Governments main job is to uphold natural rights

- C. People have right to abolish government if natural

are denied

- D. Government is instituted among men and powerscome from the consent governed

C. Grievances against King George III and

the British government (27 Offenses) D. Actions taken by the colonists in seeking

peace and resolution

E. Declaring Independence from Britain


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The Signing of the Declaration of Independence

8th SS Notes Chp. 6.4 Declaring Independ

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