WARM UP

①  Write a paragraph on: ①  What do you do when you break up with

someone? ②  Why do you break up with someone? ③  How do you do it? What do you say or do?? ④  If you’ve never had a bf or gf what do you see on

TV or in movies?

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: CAUSES & DOCUMENTS

1775 – BEGINNING OF REVOLUTION

I.  April – Battles of Lexington and Concord A.  First two battles of American Revolution B.  “Shot heard around the world” C.  First time that British troops and colonial militia fought

II.  May- Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia, PA

III.  June - George Washington was appointed commander of the colonial army

A.  An army too defend ourselves from the growing power of the British

IV.   August – King George III issues a proclamation to suppress (end) the rebellion

THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

I.  In May 1775 The Second Continental Congress met to discuss what to do after the Battles of Lexington & Concord

A.  War seemed unavoidable but many delegates didn’t want to fight the most powerful nation in the world

B.  A colonial rebellion would be considered treason (betraying your nation)

II.  65 delegates met in Independence Hall III.  War with Great Britain seems probable but the

colonies will try to find a peaceful solution

OLIVE BRANCH PETITION I.  In an attempt to avoid war the 2nd Continental Congress

created the Olive Branch Petition A.  Colonies state their loyalty to the King B.  Ask for help ending the conflict without a war C.  Sent in July à response came in August

II.  King George III responded that the Colonies were in a state of rebellion and it would be put down with force

SECONDCONTINENTALCONGRESS(1775)I.   Inlate1775theNew

Englandrepresentativeswantedthecoloniesto:

A.  Declareindependence.B.  Formtheirown

governments.C.  Recognizetheminutemenas

theContinentalArmyD.  Fightfortheircolonialrights

II.   ThemajorityofthetheothercolonialrepresentativesstillwantedpeacewithEngland

A.  Theyear1776willchangetheirminds

1776 –THE YEAR OF REVOLUTION I.  January – the pamphlet Common Sense written

anonymously

A.  Persuaded colonists to pursue independence

II.  July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence

A.  Colonies declared independence from Great Britain

B.  The Colonies are their own nation (U.S.A.)

III. The first major battles of the Revolutionary War are fought by the Continental Army

COMMON SENSE I.  The majority of the

delegates at the 2nd Continental Congress did not desire independence from Great Britain

II.  They thought of themselves as loyal English subjects and independence would be treason

III.  Common Sense changed their minds!

COMMONSENSEI.  Common Sense was published anonymously in

January 1776 A.  It was written by Thomas Paine

II.  This pamphlet encouraged colonists to declare independence from Great Britain

A.  It is common sense that we be free

III. Common Sense was very influential because it was read by many people.

A.  Written in common language so anyone could read it à everyone did read it

B.  Appealed to natural law ("an island should not rule a continent") C.  America had a moral obligation to get rid of a tyrannical government

and form their own

SECONDCONTINENTALCONGRESS(1776)

I.  In the summer of 1776 the Second Continental Congress met again

II.  By this point the British Army has already fought the Continental Army on multiple occasions in New England

III.  The Continental Congress decided to: A.  Declare Independence: completely separate from Great

Britain B.  Create a document to notify Great Britain of their desired

independence. C.  Thomas Jefferson selected to write document

IV.   The thirteen colonies believed that they should be their own independent nation!!!!

DO NOW ①  In your notes create a bubble map on the

Declaration of Independence...

②  You may work with a partner

③  Include key people, facts, lines & ideas that influenced the DOI

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

I.   TheUnitedStatesneededtodeclareindependencefromGreatBritain.II.   ThomasJeffersonwrotetheDeclarationofIndependenceandpresented

ittotheCongressA.  ItwasdebatedandchangedbeforefinallybeingapprovedinJulyof1776

III.   TheDeclarationofIndependencewassignedonJuly4,1776.

A.  4 parts = Preamble, Declaration of Rights, List of Grievances (complaints), Resolution

IV.   ThisisthedaythattheUnitedStatesofAmericadeclaredtheir

independencefromKingGeorgeandGreatBritain.

V.   AnewnationiscreatedtobecompletelyseparatedfromGreatBritainandtogovernitself…

I.  Jefferson drafted the D.O.I. based on arguments made during the Enlightenment

II.  John Locke's contract theory of government: A.  All people have natural rights ("Life, liberty, and the pursuit of

happiness") B.  When a government abuses rights, the people have a right to "alter or

abolish" it C.  King George has acted tyrannically. Long list of wrongs done by King

to colonists. D.  The colonies are independent.

III. Declaration gave a clear position for rebellious colonists

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence

I.  The D.O.I. was considered treason (overthrowing your own government) and the signers would be punished

II.  Anyone who signed it and was caught would be hanged

III.  “We must all now hang together, or most assuredly we will all hang separately." —Benjamin Franklin

Hancock

G.B. RESPONSE TO D.O.I.

I.  Great Britain is furious with the treason that is taking place in the 13 colonies

II.  The British government does not want to lose the very valuable colonies

III.  The British government will send over 70,000 soldiers to the American colonies to stop the rebellion

AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE I.  Common Sense encouraged many Americans to seek

independence from Great Britain

II.  The 2nd Continental Congress created the Declaration of Independence

A.  The official separation of the 13 colonies from Great Britain B.  The U.S.A. is created

III.  Great Britain and the U.S.A. will go to war to determine whether the people of the 13 colonies will be independent or forced to remain in the British empire

ARE YOU WITH ME?? 1)  What was the purpose of the Olive Branch Petition? What was

the British response?

2)  Who wrote Common Sense?

3)  Explain the impact of Common Sense on the American colonies:

4)  Who drafted (wrote) the Declaration of Independence?

5)  What is the significance of the Declaration of Independence?