Ch. 2 Section 2 The Coming of Independence

A. Britain’s Colonial Policies Colonies were mostly self governing and were paying very little in taxes-this was soon to change

B. Growing Colonial Unity Early attempts-1964 Four colonies formed a confederation to serve as a “league of friendship” for defense against Native Americans 2. The Albany Plan-Meeting to discuss the problems of colonial trade and the danger of attacks by the French and their Native American allies. A body of delegates from each of the 13 colonies would have the power to raise military and naval forces to make war and peace with the Native Americans

3. Stamp Act Congress-Stamp Act of 1765-required all legal documents to have a tax stamp-”not taxation without representation”

C. First Continental Congress-Confronted Interolerable Acts-encouraged all colonies to refuse trade with England until the taxes were repealed. D. Second Continental Congress-Revolution had begun-Shot Heard Round the World, Lexington and Concord battle was fought 3 weeks earlier

1. Representatives-Each of the 13 colonies sent representatives, a continental army was created with and George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief 2. First National Government-had no constitutional base, 5 years, from the Declaration of Independence 1776 until the Articles of Confederation in 1781

E. Declaration of Independence Declaration announces the independence of the US in it’s first paragraph

F. 1st State Constitutions (based on the natural rights of man) 1. Drafting State Constitutions- In 1776 and 1777 most of the states in the 13 colonies adopted written constitutions. Massachusetts has the oldest written constitution in the world. 2. Common features-Popular sovereignty-government can exist only with the consent of the governed. Limitations on government power.

Complete questions 1-8 on pg. 43