The Colonies Unite

1 st Continental Congress Meets  1774-Representatives from the Colonies Meet in Philadelphia  Discuss their common concerns with Britain  Decided to continue protesting British taxes, but did not want to go to war with Britain at this point

The Second Continental Congress  Who?  John Adams  Samuel Adams  Patrick Henry  Richard Henry Lee  George Washington  Ben Franklin  Thomas Jefferson  John Hancock  All delegates of the First Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress Continued…  What did it do?  Authorized the printing of money  Set up a post office with Franklin in charge  Established committees to communicate with the Native Americans and other countries  Organized the Continental Army to fight against Britain in an organized way  Unanimously chose George Washington to be the army’s Commander

The Olive Branch Petition  Second Continental Congress gave the British one final chance to avoid all out war  This PETITION assured the king of the colonists desire for peace  Asked for him to protect the colonists rights  King George III denied the Olive Branch Petition  Hired 30,000 German troops to send to America

Possibly no other writer than Thomas Paine did more to inspire Americans to obtain their independence from Great Britain and to strive to spread the principles of the American Revolution to Europe.

In January 1776, he published his 47- page pamphlet, Common Sense.

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense  Captured the attention of the Colonists  Paine called for complete independence from Britain  Argued that it was simply “Comon Sense” to stop following the “Royal Brute” King George III  Common Sense INSPIRED Americans

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the services of their country; but he that stands it NOW deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." (The American Crisis, 1776) "The period of debate is closed. Arms, as a last resource, must decide the contest.“ (Common Sense, 1776) "Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." (Common Sense, 1776) Famous Quotes:

Declaring Independence  Colonies needed to make a decision, Should they declare themselves an independent nation? Or should they stay under British rule?  Virginia’s Richard Henry Lee proposed a resolution : “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States…and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved.”  As the Resolution was debated, Thomas Jefferson was selected to draft a Declaration of Independence

independence : (n) the freedom to govern on one’s own. declaration : (n) an official statement

Who was involved?  Benjamin Franklin  John Adams  Robert R. Livingston  Roger Sherman  Thomas Jefferson

Where did it all take place? This is a replica of the Graff house where Jefferson wrote the majority of the 1 st draft of the Declaration of Independence. The original building (at this location) was destroyed in 1888.

What did it look like? Who wrote the first draft?

Inspiration for the Declaration  Drew ideas from English Philosopher John Locke  Locke wrote that people were born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property; that people formed governments to protect these rights; and that government interfering with these rights might rightfully be over thrown

APPROVED!  Approved Lee’s Resolution July 2, 1776  Approved the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776 after some changes

Who signed it first? President of the Congress

Parts of the Declaration  1-Preamble-Intro  2-Rights Colonists should have  3-Complaints against England  4-Proclaims the existence of a New Nation

“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.”