The Colonists Declare Independence Chapter 3.3

Provincial Congress John Hancock Samuel Adams Other colonial leaders Try to govern Massachusetts without General Thomas Gage who has been placed in charge after the passing of the Coercive Acts Also begin stockpiling weapons

Lexington Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott Warn that the British are coming Patriot militias meet the British troops in Lexington Ordered to disperse Someone fired – no one knows who 8 Patriots died The first shot was known as “the shot heard round the world”

Concord After Lexington, Redcoats marched to Concord Found the armory nearly Minutemen and a militia met the British at the North Bridge and repelled the British Chased them all the way back to Boston Lego Lexington and Concord British Army fighting style

Continental Congress Assumed responsibility for the war Created the Continental Army and made George Washington the commander Militias from the Middle and Southern colonies joined the Patriot siege in Boston Some radical members wanted to declare independence But most of the colonists still wanted to remain with the British Empire without paying taxes

Olive Branch Petition Sent to King George III Asked for a stop in fighting to negotiate a peace King issued Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition stated that all loyal British subjects in the colonies needed to bring traitors to justice.

Loyalists Loyal to the King Preferred British rule Feared resistance would lead to a deadly and destructive war that Britain would win Disliked the taxes, oaths of allegiance, and militia drafts demanded by Patriot leaders Patriots shut down their newspapers and punished Loyalists who criticized Patriot actions

This British political cartoon from 1775 shows a group of Patriots forcing a Loyalist to sign a document Is this cartoon more sympathetic to Loyalists or Patriots? What details support your evaluation?

Thomas Paine Wrote Common Sense appealed to the common man by writing in direct and clear language in his pamphlet Common Sense which showed colonists that King George III not Parliament was their enemy. Common Sense parody

Declaration of Independence Paine’s ideas built up momentum for American independence A committee selected to draft a document declaring independence Thomas Jefferson drafted the document It embraced the idea of natural rights It declared natural rights, listed grievances, and declared independence. Congress voted and declared America was free on July 2, 1776 The Declaration of Independence was approved July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence Parody

This painting depicts Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson working to draft the Declaration of Independence.

One of Thomas Jefferson’s drafts of the Declaration of Independence

Works Cited Werner-Lepsansky, Emma J., et al. United States History. Pearson Education Inc: United States, 2016. Print. Pearson Realize. The Colonists Declare Independence. Pearson Inc, 2016. Web. 26 Oct 2015