Transcript Chapter 5 The Spirit of Independence (1763

Chapter 5 The Spirit of
Independence (17631776)
Section 4 Moving Toward Independence
Why did the American colonies
choose to declare independence?
Colonial Leaders Emerge
O May 10, 1775 at the Second
Continental Congress
O Many were NOT ready to
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break with Britain
Many of the same delegates
from the First Continental
Congress
Also Ben Franklin- he had
represented the colonies in
London and helped repeal
the act
John Hancock was also thereHancock had funded the
Sons of Liberty
Hancock was chosen
president of the First
Continental Congress
32 year old Thomas Jefferson
was also there
Second Continental Congress
O Began to govern the colonies
O Authorized printing money
O Set up a post office with Franklin in
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charge
Committees were set up to
communicate with Indians and other
countries
Most important, Congress created
the Continental Army
Would be more organized than the
militias
George Washington was
unanimously chosen as the army’s
commander
Continental Congress and Peace
O The delegates offered Britain
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one last chance to avoid war
Congress sent a petition
(formal request) to King
George III
Called the Olive Branch
Petition
Said the colonists wanted
peace
Asked the King to protect their
rights
George III refused the petition
Instead he prepared for war
Hired more than 30,000
German troops (Hessians) to
fight beside the British
The Colonies Take Offense
O The Colonist found out the
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British were going to invade
New York
The Americans decided to
strike first and attack
Montreal (They captured it)
The Americans failed to take
Quebec
Washington reached Boston
in 1775 and realized the
army lacked discipline,
organization, and
leadership
Washington began to shape
the citizens into an army
Continental Army
O March 1776, Washington
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decided they were ready
The army was set in a
semicircle around Boston
Washington gave the
order to bombard the
British with cannons
The redcoats under
General Howe withdrew
from the city
March 17th, Washington
led the jubilant troops
into Boston
The British sailed to
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Early 1776
O Support for absolute
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independence was
growing
Thomas Paine published
a pamphlet called
Common Sense
Paine called the King
“the Royal Brute”
Paine said “’Tis time to
part”
The call for
independence became a
roar
Second Continental Congress
O Second Continental
Congress was filled with
debate
O Should the colonies
declare themselves an
independent nation or
stay under British rule?
O Richard Henry Lee said
“all political connection
between them and the
State of Great Britain is,
and ought to be, totally
dissolved”
Debate over Independence
O Congress debated Lee’s
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resolution
Some thought the
colonies were not ready to
form a separate nation
Others argued that war
had already begun
Still others feared Britain’s
power to crush the
rebellion
Congress decided to draft
a Declaration of
Independence
Declaration of Independence
O Jefferson wrote
O Used John Locke’s idea
that people were born with
certain natural rights
including
O Life, liberty, and property
O People formed
governments to protect
these rights
O Also that a government
that interferes with these
rights might be overthrown
D.O.I. Final Touches
O July 2nd, 1776 Congress voted on
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Lee’s resolution for independence
12 colonies voted for it (New York
later announced support)
Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of
Independence was approved with
some changes on July 4th, 1776
John Hancock was the first to sign
Signed it so large that King George
could read it without his glasses
56 delegates signed the paper
announcing the Birth of the United
States
Copies of the Declaration of
Independence were distributed to the
newly declared states
Parts of the D.O.I
O Four major sections
O 1. Preamble (Introduction)
O 2. Lists the rights colonists believed they
should have and the right of people to
abolish a government that does not
protect these rights
O 3. List of grievances against the King
and Parliament
O 4. Announcement of Independence
Why did the American colonies choose to
declare independence?
-King George ignored the colonists’ Olive Branch
petition, in which they tried to avoid war.
-The Colonists learned the British were planning to
invade New York.
-Thomas Paine published an influential pamphlet,
Common Sense, which called for complete
independence.