By Stephanie Ellegood Graves Central Elementary School H ISTORY A LIVE ! C HAPTER 12 THE DECLARATION OF IN DEPENDENCE

TERMS TO KNOW…….  Declaration of Independence: The document that announced that the American ___ __________ ____ were breaking away from _________________________. It was approved by the ____________________________________ on July ___,  Second Continental Congress: The meeting of _________________ from the American colonies that began in _______________________ in This Congress approved the Declaration of Independence and acted as the ______________________ during the Revolutionary War.  Common Sense: A short, powerful book by _______________________ printed in 1776 that argued _____________ and _______________ that the American colonies should break away from Great Britain.

12.2 T HE S ECOND C ONTINENTAL C ONGRESS  The Second Continental Congress meeting began on May 10,  ____ delegates were a part of the Congress including __________________________, ____________________, and ______________________.  The Second Continental Congress had 3 important tasks:  #1 (and most important): organize the colonies for war against the British.  Shortly before Congress met, the Patriot ___________ (small armies made up of ordinary citizens) fought against the British soldiers at __________________ and _______________. The small militias were ordinary men who were not properly trained. Congress decided the colonies need a more ___________________ army so it created the Continental Army.

12.2 T HE S ECOND C ONTINENTAL C ONGRESS  #2: decided who should lead the new Army.  They chose a strong leader/experienced soldier: __________________________.  #3 (and most difficult): decided whether or not to declare independence from Britain.  Some ___________ were ready to declare independence, such as John Adams.  Most of the delegates were still _________ to King George III. Even as fighting began, these loyalists still wanted to make peace with Britain.

12.3 T HOMAS P AINE & C OMMON S ENSE  Most colonists were ___________________ on independence. They wanted Britain to listen to their problems, but they were still loyal British citizens.  In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a booklet called Common Sense. He stated that it was natural for people to ________________________ instead of being ruled by a king. He thought America could show the whole world a ____________ form of government.

12.3 T HOMAS P AINE & C OMMON S ENSE  Common Sense was written in ____________ but STRONG words that everyone could understand.  For example, Paine knew many thought of Britain as a ____________ country, so he wrote that parents do not “make ______ upon their own families.”  Soon 120,000 copies of Common Sense were printed. Because of this, by the spring of 1776 most people were ready for the Continental Congress to vote for independence.

12.4 W RITING THE D ECLARATION OF I ND.  _______________________ helped convince the Continental Congress to move toward independence. On June 7, 1776 Virginia delegates introduced a statement to Congress stating that the colonies had the right to be ________ and independent states.  ___________________________ wrote the first draft of the colonies’ declaration of independence. Jefferson wrote and rewrote the document many times over a two week period. It was presented to Congress after ___________________ and ______________________________ made a few changes.  After several days of arguing over independence, the delegates voted on July 2 nd to _____________ from Britain. Congress then spent 2 days getting every word of the declaration just right and voting on changes.  On __________________, Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence.

12.5 S IGNING THE D ECLARATION OF I ND.  The delegates signed a handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence. Signing it was an act of ______________ toward the king (a crime of disloyalty toward a ruler/government). The delegates agreed that they must stay united.  ______________________ signed first and the largest.  Once signed by all delegates, Congress sent copies to each _______________ and to the __________________________. People everywhere in the colonies celebrated!!!

12.5 S IGNING THE D ECLARATION OF I ND.  George Washington read the declaration to his troops, and the soldiers tore down a statue of ______________________. They melted down the statue to make bullets for the Continental Army. In ________________ troops celebrated by firing guns and cannons.  There were church bells ringing, parades, and bonfires. Today we celebrate in similar ways on the 4 th of July, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

12.6 T HE D ECLARATION OF I NDEPENDENCE  The Second Continental Congress felt it was important to explain why they wanted to be a separate _____________. Five of the _____________ (passages) of the Declaration of Independence are described below……..  1 st excerpt: Explains why the colonists felt it was __________________ to write the document.

12.6 T HE D ECLARATION OF I NDEPENDENCE  2 nd excerpt: Describes the __________ that _________________ should have (THIS IS ON THE TEST). 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.  3 rd excerpt: Explains why _____________________ are established and describes the citizens’ rights if the government acts ____________.  4 th excerpt: Describes a general _______________ against the British King.  5 th excerpt: Declares the colonies’ ______________________.