1. Road to Revolution
Published by Benjamin Franklin in 1754, the cartoon urges the Colonies to unite for defense.
A colonial superstition was that a snake cut into pieces would come back to life if the pieces were joined.

2. Sons of Liberty Organization created to oppose British policies
Used protests, boycotts and violence
Samuel Adams was the leader of the Boston Sons of Liberty..
“We will destroy every soldier that dares put his foot on our shore”
One British official said “Every dip of his pen stings”
Others leaders of the Sons of Liberty were Paul Revere and Patrick Henry

3. First Continental Congress Meets in 1774
Following the Intolerable Acts of 1774, The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.
All colonies, except Georgia sent delegates.
Delegates agreed to ban all trade with Britain until Acts were repealed.
Each colony was also called on to begin training troops.
Important because while delegates were not ready to call for independence, they were determined to uphold colonial rights.

4. “Give me liberty or give me death.”
Britain held firm on the Tolerable Acts and even increased restrictions on colonial trade and sent more troops.
Colonial Troops continued to train.
Many thought a fight would be a short show of force to make Britain change its policies.
Patrick Henry expected a WAR.
He gave his famous speech at the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1775 and spoke the words,
“Give me liberty or give me death.”

5. Whose Side Are You On? Loyalists Patriots Lived the British Culture
Supported the British and Hessian (Germans) Troops
Sided with the King.
Tarred and Feathered customs officials
Joined Militias
Fought for Independence

6. The Midnight Ride
Spies played a role on both sides leading up to the Revolutionary War.
British used their spies to learn Sam Adams and John Hancock were in Lexington with orders to arrest them and destroy stored supplies in Concord.
The Sons of Liberty were ready. Paul Revere and William Dawes spread news of British movement with signals from the Old North Church Steeple.
Revere and Dawes were joined by Dr. Samuel Prescott.
Prescott carried the message to Concord when Dawes and Revere were stopped by a British Patrol.

7. Lexington and Concord First Battles of the Revolutionary War
On April 19, 1775, 700 British Troops reached Lexington.
70 militiamen were waiting.
British ordered Americans to drop their muskets and they refused.
No one knows who fired first, but within a few minutes 8 militiamen were dead.
British marched to Concord, destroyed military supplies and engaged in a battle where they were forced to retreat.
4000 minutemen and militiamen lined the road from Concord to Lexington and shot at the “redcoats” as they retreated back to Boston.
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem coined the phrase “shot heard around the world” about the first shots of the Revolution.

8. The Continental Army
May 10, Americans attacked Britain in New York, captured Fort Ticonderoga and its large supply of artillery.
Also on May 10,1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Members included John and Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Patrick Henry.
They agreed to form the Continental Army and George Washington was chosen as the commanding general.
Congress authorized the printing of money to pay troops-it was beginning to act like a government.

9. The Battle of Bunker Hill
June 1775
Militia had built fortifications so the British attacked.
Militia waited on the top of the hill and were ordered, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”
Battle ensued, but the militia were forced off the hill.
British won, but suffered more than 1400 deaths and casualties.

10. Boston
Colonists still hoped for peace and Congress drafted an Olive Branch Petition to London asking the king to restore harmony, but the king rejected it.
King George instead blocked American ships and sent Hessians to fight believing the colonists would give up, but they didn’t.
Americans attacked in Canada, but failed.
In Boston, the Continental Army surrounded British troops. With cannons captured at Ticonderoga, Americans threatened to bombard the city. British troops left Boston. Many loyalists left with the British fearing their safety.

11. Thomas Paine and Common Sense
Thomas Paine was an Englishman living in the colonies.
He believed it was ridiculous for America to be governed by an island across a vast ocean.
He felt there were plenty of markets outside of Britain for colonial goods.
Published Common Sense in 1776 and “the call for Independence became a roar”.
Common Sense increased public support for American independence.

12. Common Sense Directions:
Students will now take time to read excerpts 1-5 from Common Sense found in the handout given. In the space provided students will be expected to write down what they believe the excerpt means in their own words.

13. Committees of Correspondence
Key Individuals:
Sam Adams
Mercy Otis Warren
This was a way for people in Massachusetts to correspond/communicate to each other (early form of texting, tweeting, or face book) about issues going on in the colonies example… Tea Act, Stamp Act etc…
Mercy Otis Warren:
This women became one of the key individuals during the time of unrest between the English and the Colonies. She was a key member in establishing the committees of correspondence as well as creating a series of satires about the British.

14. Declaration of Independence
In June 1776, The Continental Congress debated the “free and independent states” resolution calling for a complete break from Britain.
Rather then all delegates agreeing, they formed a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to compose the document.
2 weeks later on July 4, 1776, Jefferson had completed most of it, the resolution was presented again and passed and independence was declared.
Declaration is based on the philosophy of John Locke and his idea that people have unalienable rights that government can not take away.

15. Writing the Declaration

16. 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 altar or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”
Critical Writing: (Ticket Out)
What justification did this paragraph give for the revolution against King George III?