The Road to Independence Revolutionary War The Road to Independence

I. Second Continental Congress A. As agreed to in the First Continental Congress, there was a need for a Second Continental Congress to meet in May 1775. 1. Two factions emerged at the second meeting. The Conservative faction was led by John Dickinson, and the radical group was led by Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Richard Henry Lee. The radicals grew in power.

2. All 13 colonies were represented 2. All 13 colonies were represented. Most of the same people from the first attended, with the notable exceptions of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

3. John Hancock presided over the Congress.

B. Military Operations Congress created the Continental Army John Adams nominated the Southerner George Washington to gain the support of people in the South.

3. Authorized the invasion of Canada.

C. The Olive Branch Petition (July 1775) 1. The Olive Branch petition put forth by John Dickinson was an appeal to King George III which asked the king to repeal the Coercive Acts, and spoke harshly of the Parliament.

2. In August, the king refused to hear the petition, and said the colonies were in rebellion and efforts should be made to “suppress such rebellion, and bring the traitors to justice.”

II. Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys A. The Green Mountain Boys were comprised of settlers and land speculators who owned land in what is modern day Vermont.

B. When the Revolutionary War started in 1775, Ethan Allen and his guerillas, along with Benedict Arnold marched to capture Fort Ticonderoga for its’ number of cannons.

C. Allen, Arnold, and the Green Mountain Boys got into fort through an unlocked gate and forced the surrender of 22 sleeping British soldiers. Allen ordered their surrender “in the name of Jehovah and the Continental Congress.”

D. The Second Continental Congress began its’ meeting May 10, 1775 the same day as Allen took Fort Ticonderoga.

III. Battle of Bunker Hill A. American forces under control of Colonel William Prescott began building fortifications on Breed’s Hill on Charlestown Heights.

B. General Howe, surprised at the amount of work the Americans had done said “The rebels have done more work in one night than my whole army would have done in one month.”

C. Howe ordered British soldiers to take the hill. D. As the British soldiers set out to take the hill, American commanders ordered “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” 1. Why? Lack of gunpowder and inaccurate weapons.

E. Twice the British were knocked back, but with their bayonets on, the third time they were successful. So, it was an objective victory for the British. However, the battle cost the lives of around 1100 British and 440 Americans. It showed that the Americans were serious and brave opponents.

IV. Thomas Paine and Common Sense A. Unlike many other writers, Thomas Paine placed the blame of the colonial suffering directly on King George III.

B. Common Sense advocated immediately a declaration of independence, and it helped bring about the first successful anti-colonial action in modern history.

C. “O ye that love mankind C. “O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the old world is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath been hunted round the globe. Asia, and Africa, have long expelled her. Europe regards her like a stranger, and England hath given her warning to depart. O! receive the fugitive, and prepare an asylum for mankind.”

D. “The period for debate is closed D. “The period for debate is closed. Arms, as a last resort, must decide the contest… Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation.”

E. Over a half million copies were sold E. Over a half million copies were sold. Paine’s words stirred the colonists to action. 1. Time had come to formally declare independence.