The War Begins

2 nd Continental Congress May 1775 Create Continental Army Appoints Washington as leader Some talk of compromise…some of independence

Bunker Hill -June Colonist take hill overlooking Boston (Breed’s Hill) -British charge the hill 3 times until colonists run out of ammo -lots of casualties deadliest battle of war -proves the intentions of the colonists

2 nd Continental Congress July 1775 Olive Branch Petition send King George a petition to return to the peace of the past he refuses the petition and urges the rebellion put down “A Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition” (Proclamation of Rebellion) Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms

Thomas Paine Common Sense The American Crisis

Common Sense Thomas Paine Pamphlet called for complete independence Accused king of tyranny 500,000 copies sold Influences colonial opinion in favor of independence

Common Sense -many colonists had loyalties that were strong to Britain -Loyalists -Patriots -Common Sense -written by Thomas Paine -Jan urges independence for the colonies

Common Sense I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense...O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the 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 in time an asylum for mankind."

Common Sense... we have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months. ~Thomas Paine

War Between America and Britain 1776 = low point of war Disadvantages were evident “These are the times that try men’s souls.” -Thomas Paine

2 nd Continental Congress Lee Resolution The Resolution of Independence Richard Henry Lee June 1776 Proposed & Tabled Leads to Committee of Five

Committee of Five John Adams Roger Sherman Robert Livingston Benjamin Franklin Thomas Jefferson

Declaration of Independence -Committee appointed to begin work on formal document -meant to explain the reasons for independence -mostly written by Thomas Jefferson -Congress edited the final draft -Issued July 4, 1776

Concepts in the Declaration -Jefferson took ideas from many Enlightenment thinkers -Natural Rights and Social Contract from John Locke -All men are created equal -Listed specific reasons for our independence

American Beliefs “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.”

Colonists -Loyalists those who remained loyal to the King and the British often called Tories -Patriots those who supported the move for independence risked everything because they could be hung as traitors -Undecided As many as a third to one half of the colonists were undecided as to whether independence or remaining part of England was the best decision