The Movement for Independence and The Nation’s First Governments

Movement Toward Independence The colonies sent delegates, or representatives to a meeting in Philadelphia known as the First Continental Congress. They demanded that King George III restore their rights. The king responded by force.

Movement Toward Independence The Revolutionary War began with battles at Lexington and Concord. Colonists started to question their loyalty to Britain. They began talking about independence, or self-reliance and freedom from outside control.

Movement Toward Independence At the Second Continental Congress, some delegates wanted independence. Others still felt loyal to Britain. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense swayed public opinion toward independence. Finally, the Second Continental Congress agreed.

The Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence, written mostly by Thomas Jefferson, explained why the United States should be a free nation. It argued that the British government did not look after the interests of the colonists. It listed many abuses by the king.

The Declaration of Independence The Declaration said that the purpose of government is to protect the rights of the people. Government is based on consent of the people. If it disregards their rights or their will, the people are entitled to change or overthrow it.

The Declaration of Independence These ideas were influenced by philosopher John Locke. He saw government as a contract between the people and the rulers. The people agree to give up some freedoms and abide by government decisions. In return, the government promises to protect them and their liberty. If it misuses it power, the people should rebel.

The Declaration of Independence The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776. True freedom arrived when Britain officially recognized the United States at the war’s end.

Early State Constitutions New Hampshire was the first colony to organize as a state and craft a written plan for government, or constitution. Other states formed similar systems of government. Most state legislatures were bicameral-divided into two parts, or houses. Members of the two houses were chosen by different methods.

Early State Constitutions Each state had an elected governor to carry out the laws and judges and courts to interpret the laws. Most state constitutions included a bill of rights. The Massachusetts constitution was different from the others. It distributed power more evenly among the legislature, governor, and courts.

Early State Constitutions It gave the governor and the courts the authority to check the legislature. The constitution itself was not created by the legislature but by a convention of elected delegates. The Massachusetts constitution would later become the model for the U.S. Constitution. The States would first form a government under the Articles of Confederation.

The Articles of Confederation Separately, the states could not maintain a large army to fight the British. For this and other reasons, the Second Continental Congress made a plan for union called the Articles of Confederation. A confederation is a group of individuals who band together for a common purpose.

The Articles of Confederation The Articles set up a one-house legislature. As a result of bad experiences with the British government, the states refused to give Congress the power to tax or to enforce its laws. Congress could not require the states to give money or do anything else. The states ratified, or approved, the Articles. Soon, serious problems became clear

The Articles of Confederation Strict voting requirements to pass laws or amend (change) the Articles made it difficult for Congress to accomplish anything. Even when it passed laws, Congress could not enforce them. States could just ignore the laws. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, ending the Revolutionary War.

The Articles of Confederation Unable to collect taxes, Congress had borrowed to pay for the war. The states had also run up deep debts. To pay their debts, the states overtaxed their citizens and even taxed goods from other states and foreign countries. The Confederation Congress had no power to solve these problems.

The Articles of Confederation Daniel Shays, and indebted farmer, felt the state had no right to take his farm away because of a problem the state created. He led an uprising, known as Shays’s Rebellion. This unrest swayed leaders toward revising the Articles of Confederation to create a stronger national government. Engraving depicting Daniel Shays (left) and Job Shattuck