Chapter 5 Road to Revolution

Section 3

I. The Continental Congress (Pages 141–142) A. The Continental Congress was a group of prominent colonial leaders who met in September 1774 to establish a political group that would fight for American interests and challenge British rule. Among the delegates who attended were Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Jay, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington.

B. The delegates worked together to draft a statement of grievances. They called for repeal of the 13 acts of Parliament. They voted to boycott all British goods and trade. C. They also passed a resolution to form militias, or groups of citizens, so that the colonies would have their own armed forces

II. The First Battles (Pages 142–144) A. The British also prepared themselves for battle. British General Sir Thomas Gage had3,000 soldiers in and around Boston. In April 1775, his orders were to take away weapons and arrest the militia leaders. B. Paul Revere and William Daws rode to Lexington, a town near Concord, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming.

C. The redcoats approached Lexington and continued to Concord C. The redcoats approached Lexington and continued to Concord. They found that the gunpowder was removed, but they destroyed the remaining supplies. D. The minutemen were waiting all along the British return trail from Concord to Boston. They ambushed the British. More than 200 British were wounded, and 73 of them were dead. The battles of Lexington and Concord began the struggle for independence from Britain.

III. More Military Action (Pages 144–145) A. Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain boys captured Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain on May 10, 1775. B. The colonial militia grew to about 20,000 after committees of correspondence enlisted more volunteers. C. The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 16, 1775. Although the British won the battle, they suffered heavy losses and learned that defeating the Americans would not be easy.

D. Americans chose sides D. Americans chose sides. Those who wanted to fight the British until they won their independence were called Patriots. Loyalists wanted to remain with Britain.

Section 4

Did You Know? In 1775 Benjamin Franklin wrote the first version of a Declaration of Independence because he was so upset by the British and the fighting at Lexington and Concord. He presented it to the Continental Congress, but the delegates were not ready for it. It took another year before the Continental Congress approved the final version of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson wrote this one with Franklin’s help.

I. Colonial Leaders Emerge (Pages 147–150) A. The Second Continental Congress met for the first time on May 10, 1775. In addition to the delegates from the first Continental Congress, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson were new delegates. B. The Congress governed the colonies. It 1. authorized the printing of money 2. set up a post office 3. established a Continental Army with George Washington as the commander 4. sent a formal request to King George III asking for peace and for the king to protect the colonists’ rights. King George III refused this Olive Branch Petition and prepared for war.

C. Washington trained the army, and on March 17, 1776, led his troops into Boston after surrounding the city and forcing the redcoats to withdraw. The British sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia. D. After an attack on New York by the British in Canada, the American troops at Fort Ticonderoga struck and captured Montreal in November. American troops failed to capture Quebec but stayed outside the city through the winter and returned to Fort Ticonderoga in 1776.

II. The Colonies Declare Independence (Pages 150–151) A. The Second Continental Congress debated a resolution to support independence. Some delegates thought the colonies were not ready to separate, and others felt that a large part of the population wanted to separate from Britain. B. The Congress formed a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. Members included Jefferson, Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert Livingston of New York.

D. The Declaration has four main sections: C. On July 2, 1776, twelve colonies voted for the resolution for independence. On July 4, they approved the Declaration with some changes. John Hancock was the first to sign it. His signature was large so that the king would have no trouble reading it. D. The Declaration has four main sections: 1. the preamble, or introduction 2. a list of the rights of the colonists 3. a list of the grievances against Britain 4. a proclamation claiming the emergence of a new nation

Break Up Letter Your Assignment: Create your own Declaration of Independence. You can declare Independence from School, a Teacher, or anyone or thing you like (maybe Snapchat?) You must include the following sections: 1. the preamble, or introduction 2. a list of your rights 3. a list of your grievances, or complaints (at least 5) 4. a proclamation claiming your Independence *Use the actual document as a guide.