Chapter 6: The American Revolution ( ) Ch. 6.1: A Nation Declares Independence

Why did many colonists favor declaring independence?

1776 ► Few colonists could have predicted what lay ahead ► Most colonists still hoped for a peaceful end to the quarrel with Britain

1776 ► Who had the majority: Patriots or Loyalists? ► Even within the Continental Congress, only about a third of the delegates supported independence

1776 In short, colonists are divided

Let’s Review: The Enlightenment ► A group of European thinkers came to believe that all problems could be solved by human reason ► They looked for “natural laws” that governed politics, society, and economics

Let’s Review: John Locke

► Argued that people have certain natural rights that cannot be taken away ► Challenged the idea of divine right ► The purpose of government is to protect the people’s natural rights ► People give up some individual freedoms but only to safeguard the rights of the community

Let’s Review: John Locke ► Locke’s reasoning leads to a startling conclusion…

In January of 1776, a pamphlet appeared on the streets of Philadelphia In January of 1776, a pamphlet appeared on the streets of Philadelphia

Common Sense (1776) Thomas Paine “offer[ed] nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense”

► Thomas Paine tried to convince the colonists ► They did not owe loyalty to a monarch ► They owed nothing to England either ► If England had helped them, it had done so only for its own profit ► “’Tis time to part”… Americans would be far better off if they governed themselves ► The effect? Many colonists now began to think about independence…

May 1776 ► Virginia authorized its delegates to support independence ► Henry Lee introduces a resolution to Congress ► “… these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.”

Congress Breaks From Britain ► June 1776… the Continental Congress is ready to break with Britain… Why is this not an easy decision? ► Thomas Jefferson was asked to tell the world why the colonies were breaking away from Britain

► July 2nd, 1776… the Continental Congress voted that the 13 colonies were “free and independent states” ► July 4th, 1776… the delegates accepted Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence ► The document has three parts: ► Part One: ► The idea of natural rights, or that rights belong to all people at birth ► “Government” is how people protect these rights ► If the gov’t fails to protect these rights, then it is the people’s right “to throw off such government”

► Part Two lists the wrongs committed by King George III and how he abused his power ► Part Three: ► Announces that the colonies had become the “United States of America” ► All ties were Britain were cut. The U.S. was free to act as an independent nation

Why did many colonists favor declaring independence?