1. The Coming of Independence Chapter 2 Sec 2 “We must all hang together or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” – Ben Franklin

2. Question of the Day…
1. What problems could a basketball team with all five star players have? Does individual brilliance without teamwork win championships?
In this section, you will learn how the 13 Colonies learned how to work together in their effort to break with Great Britain

3. Objectives
Explain how Britain’s colonial policies contributed to the growth of self-government in the colonies
Identify some of the steps that led to growing feelings of colonial unity
Compare the outcomes of the First and Second Continental Congress
Analyze the ideas in the Declaration of Independence
Describe the drafting of the first State constitutions and summarize the constitutions’ common features

4. British Colonial Policies
Until the mid-late 1700s, the colonies were allowed a great deal of freedom in their gov’ts by the English monarchy (3,000+ miles away).
Colonial legislatures were allowed freedom. Relationship was federal with colonial self-rule.
In 1760, King George III imposed new taxes and laws on the colonists.
Colonists angered– “no taxation without representation.”
Colonists faced a choice – submit or revolt.

5. Growing Colonial Unity
Early Attempts
In 1643, several New England settlements formed the New England Confederation.
A confederation is a joining of several groups for a common purpose.
The Albany Plan
In 1754, Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, in which an annual congress of delegates (representatives) from each of the 13 colonies would be formed. Turned down. Ahead of its time.
The Stamp Act Congress
In 1765, a group of colonies sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in New York to oppose Stamp Act (required stamps on all legal documents and newspapers).
Delegates met in NY and prepared a Declaration of Rights and Grievances against British policies and sent it to the king (first time colonies opposed British Gov’t).

6. What Events Led to the Decision to Break with Great Britain?
Growing Colonial Unity – needed to work together to succeed
Boston Massacre – 1770, British troops fired on a jeering mob and killed 5.
Boston Tea Party – 1773, boarded 3 tea ships in Boston harbor and dumped tea into sea to protest British control of tea trade.

7. The Continental Congresses
First Continental Congress 1774
British Parliament set new laws to punish colonies for trouble in Boston.
Delegates met and urged the colonies to boycott all trade with England until tax and trade regulations were repealed, or recalled.
Second Continental Congress
The Brits refused compromise.
In 1775, the 13 colonies sent representatives to gather in Philadelphia.
The Second Continental Congress Served as first government until Articles of Confederation 1781 (fought war, borrowed $, made treaties, etc.)

8. American Independence
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence announcing independence. About 2/3 of the document lists reasons for the revolt.
Jefferson is credited with most of the writing in the Declaration of Independence.
Between 1776 and 1777, most of the States adopted constitutions.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; That whenever any Form of government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government…”

9. First State Constitutions
– most states adopted written constitutions – setting out principles, structures, and processes of their governments.
Common features:
Popular Sovereignty = government can exist only with the consent of the governed (the people hold the power).
Limited Government – government only granted certain powers.
Civil Rights and Liberties – people held certain inalienable rights that could not be taken away by government.
Separation of Powers & Checks and Balances – powers divided among 3 branches (exec., legisl., judic.). each branch given power to check other branch.