Lesson #10: Anger Among the Colonists with England’s Rule

Focus Questions

• What is a keystone?• Why did the people among the colonies

become angry living under England’s Rule• What major events led the colonists to rebel

against England’s rule?

Key Words

• Keystone• Political• Tax• Representation• Boycott• Colonists• Radical• Liberty Bell

• Philadelphia• Independence Hall

Key Places

Key Events

• First Continental Congress

• Second Continental Congress

• Declaration of Independence

• George Washington• Thomas Jefferson• Ben Franklin• Benjamin Rush

Key People

The Meaning of Keystone

• 2 terms that are often used to describe PA1. Quaker State (for obvious reasons)2. Keystone State

• What is a Keystone?– central wedge-shaped stone in an arch that

strengthens the structure by holding all the other stones in place.

Why Pennsylvania is a “Keystone”

• Pennsylvania, due to it’s strategic location among the 13 originally colonies, early on was the center piece that held them together

Why Pennsylvania is a “Keystone”

• Later on Pennsylvania became the center, or keystone, to all the important political activity that took place in building our nation1. Declaration of Independence2. Constitution3. Bill of Rights

• All of these where created in Philadelphia

The Colonies Merge Together

• The French and Indian war was very costly for England so the King needed to find a way to pay for it all. Since the colonies were under English rule he began to tax goods and services that colonists not only wanted, but needed

• It’s important to note that these taxes were also going on in England. A raise in taxes is normal after a period of war

The Colonies Merge Together

• Colonists, much like we are today, were not happy with these taxes

• Up to this point the colonies had been very separated, and beyond trade really didn’t work together

• The taxation by the king gave the separate colonies something in common, and this proved to be dangerous for the king

The Colonies Merge Together

• 2 things the colonists had in common1. Had to pay the same taxes2. Anger towards the English Monarchy

• The biggest gripe the colonists had was their lack of representation in deciding these taxes, even though the English citizens had no representation either…

• By the mid 1770s they agreed to all meet together

Philadelphia

• Philadelphia was the “keystone” of colonial America

• It was the center of cultural, political, medical, and economic activity in the colonies

• In the 1730s Ben Franklin started the first free library and volunteer fire department in Philly

• By 1750 Benjamin Rush started the first hospital and medical school in the colonies in Philadelphia

Continental Congress

• In September 1774 representatives from each colony met in Philadelphia which was called the First Continental Congress

• Continental: Referring to the colonies• Congress: means coming together

Continental Congress

• What was decided at this meeting???1. The colonists would protest the King’s laws. A

letter was drafted and sent to the King stating their issues

2. The colonies would boycott the taxed goods (not buy them)

3. The colonies would have to stick together in order to get things done

• Important note: not all colonists agreed with these decisions. A lot didn’t even agree with the meeting and thought it was treason

Results of the First Continental Congress

• The King decided to stop taxing most of the goods in order to make the colonists happy. He did however tax tea.

• Tea was viewed as a “necessity” in the colonies and England

• The colonists boycotted tea and on one occasion a British ship bringing tea to the colonies was forced to leave a Philadelphia port and return to England

Second Continental Congress

• The colonists were still not happy despite the King’s efforts to listen to their concerns

• In Massachusetts a small fight between colonists and British soldiers broke out so it was necessary for the colonies to meet again

• In May 1775 the Second Continental Congress was held in Philly at PA’s state house known as Independence Hall

Second Continental Congress

• While separating from England was not the first choice of the colonists, it was decided at this time that Independence from England was the only way to resolve the issues between them

Achieving Independence

• The new American congress appointed George Washington as Commander of the American army and he was sent to Massachusetts to build his army

• In May 1776 it was decided that an official Declaration of Independence should be written

• Thomas Jefferson, with the help of Ben Franklin wrote the Declaration over the next few months

PA Influence in the Declaration

• Many of William Penn’s ideas of government were put into the Declaration

• Benjamin Franklin was a native Pennsylvanian• The Declaration was first signed in

Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, but not officially read until July 8.

Not Everyone Agreed• It’s important to note that not everyone in the

colonies thought this was a good idea• More than half of the colonists where what

were called Loyalists• These people remained loyal to the king

regardless of the revolution going on. Some even fought against their neighbors in the war

• Even the New York colony refused to vote when approving the DOI because they didn’t feel a fight with the England was a good idea

The Liberty Bell• The Liberty Bell was rung in Philadelphia

during the first reading of the DOI and therefore became a symbol of freedom in our country

• The Bell was created in London and sent to Pennsylvania to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of Penn’s Charter

Review Questions1. Explain the reason for both of the nicknames for PA. 2. What impact did the French and Indian War have on the

American colonies3. What does Continental Congress mean?4. Why was Philly chosen as the site for both Continental

Congress meetings?5. Describe one result of the 1st Continental Congress6. What are 2 results of the 2nd Continental Congress7. Why was the Declaration of Independence such a

“radical” idea?8. What is a loyalist?9. What metallic item is a symbol of American freedom?