Division in the Colonies

Taxation without Representation

People are dying (Boston)

Parliament is to far away (they don’t know us)

War has broken out at Lexington and Concord!

Britain is the most powerful empire in the world

We are first and foremost British subjects

Our trade will suffer if we leave Britain

Other nations might attack us if we leave, we’ll be 13 sitting ducks!

We should separate! We are subjects of the KING!

REBELLING TO REVOLUTIONEssential Questions:1.Why was Fort Ticonderoga important?2.Why was the Second Continental Congress formed and what did it do?3.Why was George Washington appointed to lead the continental army?4.How did the Battle of Breed’s Hill unfold and why was it important?5.What was the Olive Branch Petition and why was it important?6.What was Common Sense and why was it important?7.What was the Siege of Boston and why was it important?

Fort Ticonderoga Even before the War started,

Revolutionaries were concerned about Fort Ticonderoga

The fort was a valuable for two reasons: Within its walls were cannons

and massive amounts of artillery It was situated on the

strategically important Lake Champlain It was on the route between

the rebellious Thirteen Colonies and the British-controlled Canada

After Lexington and Concord the Americans seized the fort before it could be reinforced by the British Vermonter Ethan Allen and

Colonel Benedict Arnold captured Fort Ticonderoga

May 1775

Second Continental Congress

Convention that met in May 1775 Soon after the War begun Eventually adopted the

Declaration

Congress managed colonial war effort Acted as de facto national

government Was responsible for:

Raising armies Directing war strategy Appointing diplomats Making formal treaties

Recognized militia as Continental Army Appointed 43 year old veteran of

the French and Indian War as commander of the army George Washington

May 10, 1775

The Gentleman From Virginia Every day Washington appeared

before the Congress in military uniform He wanted the job Signaling he was prepared to

lead

The day after Congress created the Army it selected Washington as its commander

John Adams nominated Washington No one rivaled his experience &

leadership Adams believed appointing a

southerner would help unite the colonies Army was primarily an army of

northerners

Washington ‘reluctantly’ accepted

June 14, 1775

6,000 British troops under General Thomas Gage occupied Boston Britain was being resupplied by sea

A "strangulation" would be long & unsuccessful Colonists decided to bombard the

city

The British soon spotted the fortifications Gage sent 2,400 troops up to

Breed’s Hills The third attack was successful

only because the colonists ran low on ammunition

The Aftermath: Colonists lost 450; Britain lost

1,000 Showed the Colonists were able to

stand up to the British troops

Breed’s June 17, 1775

The Olive Branch Petition John Dickinson wrote Olive Branch

Petition Said the colonies didn't want

independence but to negotiate trade & tax regulations

Sent to London in July1775

When the it arrived in London so did a confiscated letter by John Adams Said war was inevitable and

colonies should have already raised a navy

Britain used letter to say the Petition was insincere & the King discarded the petition

Supporters of separation pushed for independence Said it showed the colonies could

either submit unconditionally, or gain complete independence

July 1775

Common Sense After the Olive Branch Petition was

rejected a 50-page pamphlet began to circulate Was entitled Common Sense

It was written by Thomas Paine It was in a style that common

people understood Structured like a sermon & relied

on Biblical references to make his case

Paine attacked King George III Declared that the time had come

for the colonies to declare independence

Argued it was America’s “destiny”

Common Sense sold nearly 500,000 copies

January 10, 1776

Siege of Boston In the winter of 1775-1776 Henry

Knox moved the guns of Fort Ticonderoga to Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston

General Howe, commander in control of Boston, planned an assault on the heights Due to a storm it never took place Instead a letter was sent to

Washington Said British would evacuate

Boston if the Americans didn't fire on them

British troops and loyalists evacuated 120 ships and more than 11,000

people fled Boston

The first real victory for Washington and the Continental Army

April 1775 – March 1776