Deliberating on Deciding on and then… DECLARING INDEPENDENCE

COMMON SENSE Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet Common Sense. Paine tried to convince the colonists that they did not owe loyalty to England’s King George III or any other monarch for that matter. Paine was against British rule in America.

COMMON SENSE Paine said Americans did not owe a thing to England because any help they received from England was done so to profit the English, not the Americans. Paine said it could only hurt America to stay under British rule. 500,000 copies of Common Sense were printed and sold. George Washington said that Common Sense was, “working a powerful change in the minds of men.”

Thomas Paine

MOVING TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE Common Sense influenced many members of the Continental Congress. June 1776 – Virginia’s Richard Henry Lee offered a resolution stating that, “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states.” Members of the Congress knew that if they declared independence, anyone involved could be hanged as a traitor.

Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin John Adams Robert Livingston It was decided that they would form a committee to create a formal document to be sent to the King that would declare our independence. Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin John Adams Robert Livingston Roger Sherman

They selected Thomas Jefferson to write the document They selected Thomas Jefferson to write the document. Jefferson had a reputation for writing clearly and gracefully.

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence June, 1776 – Jefferson reads the final copy of the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress. July 2, 1776 – The Continental Congress voted that the 13 colonies were “free and independent states.”

July 4, 1776 – Congress Accepts the Declaration of Independence John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration first – and in the largest handwriting.

Patriots celebrated the news of Independence! They tore down a statue of King George III in New York. Cannons rang out in celebration in Boston.  

Structure of the Declaration Of Independence Preamble PART I – Natural Rights PART II – Lists the Wrongs done to the colonies by the King PART III –Dissolving Bonds

Part I – Natural Rights People form governments to protect their natural rights and liberties. Government can only exist if the people governed allow it. If the government fails to protect the people’s rights, they have the right and duty to change it to protect their future security. 

Part II – British Wrongs (This was a list of all that the King did that we felt was unfair) The banning of colonial legislatures and for sending in British troops in times of peace. The limits on trade and taxes imposed without the people’s approval. (Navigation Acts, Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Tea Act, Intolerable Acts) Ignoring the petitions the colonists sent to the monarchy.

Part III – Dissolves the bonds between Britain and the Colonies forever Officially declares a separation from Britain, forming the United States of America.

Free & Independent States Left to right: Ben Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson finishing the Declaration of Independence.