The First U.S. Government

Recap Great Britain founded and ruled the thirteen colonies that eventually became the U.S. Vast distance between the two meant the colonists generally governed themselves Under King George III, British govt. begins enforcing its own rules and regulations on the colonists Colonists fight the American Revolution to establish an independent country

The Declaration of Independence 1776- Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia Named a committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence Most of the Declaration written by Thomas Jefferson Approved by members of the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776

The Declaration of Independence Explains the reasons the colonies decided to separate from Great Britain Colonists believe power of govt. comes from the consent of the governed If the govt. ignores the will of the people, the people have a legitimate right to change the govt. Which Enlightenment thinker does this sound like?

The Declaration of Independence More than just a decision to claim independence A statement of American ideals The purpose of govt. is to protect human rights

Ideals of American Government “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all mean 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” Men who signed the Declaration knew these ideals would be difficult to achieve Many of them did not live by these ideals Even so, the Declaration of Independence is considered one of the greatest documents in U.S. history

? Who established and ruled the original thirteen colonies? Who wrote most of the Declaration? On what date was the Declaration approved? Which of John Locke’s ideas are present in the writing of the Declaration? Why is the Declaration more than just a statement of independence?