Ideas and Choosing Sides Declaration of Independence

Choose Your Side Loyalist -those who remained loyal to the King and the British -often called Tories Patriot -those who supported the move for independence -risked everything becasue they could be hung as traitors Undecided -as many as a third of the colonists were undecided as to whether independence or remaining part of England was the best decision

What was at the core of this revolution ary mov’t? The amount of taxation? The amount of taxation? The right of Parliament to tax? The right of Parliament to tax? The political corruption of Britain and the virtue of America? The political corruption of Britain and the virtue of America? The right of a king to govern America? The right of a king to govern America? The colonies’ growing sense of nat’l identity apart from Britain? The colonies’ growing sense of nat’l identity apart from Britain? Was the Revolution truly a radical overturning of gov’t and society - the usual definition of a “revolution - or something far more limited or even “conservative” in its defense of traditional rights? Was the Revolution truly a radical overturning of gov’t and society - the usual definition of a “revolution - or something far more limited or even “conservative” in its defense of traditional rights?

How did it all happen? After Intolerable or Coercion Acts the colonies sent representatives to meet to decide what to do It was called the First Continental Congress They sent a petition asking for some relief. None came.... Parliment rejected them

What happened next? April 1775 Br. Commander in Boston sent detachment of troops to nearby Lexington and Concord April 1775 Br. Commander in Boston sent detachment of troops to nearby Lexington and Concord Shot heard around the world Shot heard around the world British lost 1/3 of their army British lost 1/3 of their army

Then? Second Continental Congress meets trying to decide what to do next... Second Continental Congress meets trying to decide what to do next... colonists wonder...should they take on the biggest army, biggest superpower in the world? colonists wonder...should they take on the biggest army, biggest superpower in the world? 1. They draft G. Washington as head of army 1. They draft G. Washington as head of army 2. Va delegates there to balance hot-headed Mass. delegates 2. Va delegates there to balance hot-headed Mass. delegates

Washington’s Headaches

Military Strengths

So? Second Continental Congress tries one last time. Second Continental Congress tries one last time. They send the Olive Branch Petition asking King George to cease They send the Olive Branch Petition asking King George to cease He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE CRAZY! He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE CRAZY!

So? He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE CRAZY! He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE CRAZY! Thomas Paine writes Common Sense which becomes an immediate best seller and clearly states: now is the time! Thomas Paine writes Common Sense which becomes an immediate best seller and clearly states: now is the time! Common sense said to completely rebel - Britain was smaller than us! Common sense said to completely rebel - Britain was smaller than us! Biblical language appealed to the masses Biblical language appealed to the masses Second Continental Congress decides to take another step.... a world altering step Second Continental Congress decides to take another step.... a world altering step

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Not just independence but whole new republic -where power comes from the people themselves Not just independence but whole new republic -where power comes from the people themselves Radical revert to Greece Radical revert to Greece Traditional was “mixed gov’t” Traditional was “mixed gov’t” This suggestion was heard b/c This suggestion was heard b/c Colonist experience in self - govt ex: New England Colonist experience in self - govt ex: New England Experience in democratic town meets Experience in democratic town meets Committees of correspondence showed republican gov’t working Committees of correspondence showed republican gov’t working No hereditary aristocracy in the colonies No hereditary aristocracy in the colonies

So? In reality a declaration of independence has already been made In reality a declaration of independence has already been made *Common Sense swept the colonie *Common Sense swept the colonie *each state/colony had already been told by Congress to draft a new state constitution *each state/colony had already been told by Congress to draft a new state constitution *war had been raging for a year *war had been raging for a year Second Continental Congress decides to take another step.... a world altering step Second Continental Congress decides to take another step.... a world altering step

Committee A committee is appointed to draw up a Declaration of Independence A committee is appointed to draw up a Declaration of Independence Why? Why? 1. establish legitimate independence 1. establish legitimate independence why do that? why do that? 2. to appeal to other nations for money to fight the war 2. to appeal to other nations for money to fight the war the document becomes far more that the document becomes far more that

Why Pick Thomas Jefferson to write it? 1. He is a Virginian. They have years of experience in gov’t (House of Burgess) and seem less hot-headed than firebrands from Massachusettes 2. He has a “felicity of language” 3. People like him better than John Adams

Why Pick Thomas Jefferson to write it? 1. He is a Virginian. They have years of experience in gov’t (House of Burgess) and seem less hot-headed than firebrands from Massachusettes 2. He has a “felicity of language” 3. People like him better than John Adams

Declaration of Independence Based on: John Locke Jefferson’s Va Statue of Religious Freedom Summary View of the Rights of British America

Declaration of Independence Three parts 1. What this statement is 2. Why we have to do it 3. What we have to do It is written as a formal arguement but becomes the single most important 35 words in the English language “It possesses the an elevated quality that linked American independence to great and grand forces that transcend the immediate political crisis - focuses on a more pure principaled world” Joseph Ellis American Sphinx

Declaration of Independence -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 to abolish it.” Political Poetry