Lexington Concord Second Continental Congress

 Upon hearing of the Intolerable Acts, colonies assembled  September 1774, 56 delegates met in Philadelphia  Wrote DECLARATION OF COLONIAL RIGHTS :  Right to run their own affairs  Supported protests in MA  Stated if British used force against the colonies, the colonies would fight back.  Agreed to reconvene May 1775 if demands were not met

 Tensions with British troops building  British troops in Boston increasing  Colonists in eastern NE towns stepped up military preparations  Stockpiled firearms and gunpowder.  General Thomas Gage learned of these, planned to seize the illegal weapons in Concord.

 Colonists in Boston were keeping watch over the British troops moves.  Night of April 18, 1775 – Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to spread the word  700 British troops were headed for Concord  From there Pre-arranged signals were sent from town to town that the British were coming.

 G.B. Troops Reached Lexington at dawn  70 minutemen drew up in lines on town green  Militia ordered to drop guns and disperse  British commander ordered to surround and disarm militia  Someone fired, British fired, colonists fled  8 minutemen killed, 9 wounded, 1 British soldier injured  Lasted 15 minutes

 British continued on to Concord  Arsenal in Concord Basically Empty  Brief skirmish with minutemen at North Bridge  British began march back to Boston to avoid further conflict, despite no reinforcements

 3,000 to 4,000 minutemen had assembled  Hid behind stone walls and trees, fired at British  British fell by the dozens, only saved when reinforcements came from Boston  British went back to Boston  Colonists surrounded Boston, held the city under siege.

 Reconvened May 10, 1775  Some delegates were militant radicals  Colonies declare independence  Establish a Continental Army and name a general to lead them  Ie. John Adams  Others were more moderate  Ie. John Dickinson wanted peaceful reconciliation  Problem remains: militia still camped around Boston

 Sent July 8 th, Discussion began in May  Colonies state loyalty to the King  Ask for His help in ending the conflict  King George III proclaims the Colonies in a state of rebellion and hires mercenaries, also blockades the American coast.

 Adopt Mass. Militia as Continental Army  Appointed. G.W. as Commander  Not a military genius (he lost more battles than he won)  Trusted by his soldiers  Refused to be paid, despite records of expenses over $100,000  Good political choice: Virginian, wealthy, aristocratic, above reproach

 Began printing paper $ to pay soldiers  Organized a committee to deal with foreign nations.

 June 17, 1775  See Handout for more info  Vocab for Packet  Sloop of War – small sailing warship  Lively – British ship considered  Redoubt – small usually temporary enclosed defensive barrier

 June 17, 1775  See Handout for more info  Effects:  King George III proclaimed colonies in rebellion and hired Hessians to crush rebels  Realization more than just a conflict over British Troops in Boston

 Published Pamphlet by Thomas Paine  Appealed to natural law ("an island should not rule a continent")  Reconciliation not an option  King George was brutish and undeserving of colonials' respect  America had a moral obligation to the world to be independent and democratic (a REPUBLIC!)  Effects:  Sold more than 120,000 copies.  Firmly changed the minds of many Americans on the fence over the “Independence question.”

 Who did it APPEAL to?  People who the system did not work for (lower class)  New England who already had a taste of republicanism in town meetings, etc.  Who did it NOT APPEAL to?  Aristocrats  republicanism threatened their way of life, social hierarchy

 Congress declared independence July 2,  Jefferson headed the committee to write it  Arguments based on John Locke's contract theory of government :  All people have natural rights ("Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness")  When a gov. abuses rights, people have a right to "alter or abolish" it  King George has acted tyrannically. Long list of wrongs done by King to colonists.  The colonies are independent.  Declaration gave a clear position for rebellious colonists, forcing others to choose rebellion or declare as Loyalists.

 Public celebrations and demonstrations rang out through the colonies among the patriots  The Women’s reaction  Abigail Adams took care of her children and the business of the farm  Supported independence, championed women’s rights  “…Remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to the them than your ancestors”.

 Loyal Subjects to the King  Colonial Americans opposed to independence  Also known as Tories affiliated with the political party of Lord North  Attacks made on loyalists in the colonies