Moving Toward Independence p. 147 - 151 Road to Independence Moving Toward Independence p. 147 - 151

Colonial Leaders Emerge On May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met for the first time. This meeting included many great political leaders in America: John Jay, John and Sam Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin represented the colonies in London during the Stamp Act Crisis, and helped secure the repeal of the act.

Colonial Leaders Emerge The Second Continental Congress began to govern the colonies. It authorized printing of money and set up a post office with Franklin in charge. It established committees to communicate with Native Americans and with other countries. It created a Continental Army to fight against Britain in a more organized way than the colonial militias could. George Washington was unanimously voted as the commander.

Colonial Leaders Emerge The Congress sent a petition, or formal request, to George III giving him one last change to avoid all-out war. This petition is called the Olive Branch Petition. It assured the king of the colonist’s desire for peace. It asked the king to protect the colonists’ rights. King George III refused to receive the Olive Branch Petition and instead prepared for war. George III hired 30,000 German troops to send to America to fight beside British troops.

The Colonies Take the Offensive Congress learned that British troops stationed in Canada were planning to invade New York. The Americans decided to strike first and marched north and captured Montreal. In July 1775, Washington reached Boston, a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill and found the members of the militia growing in number every day. Washington realized the troops lacked discipline, organization, and leadership so they began shaping them into an army.

The Colonies Take the Offensive By March 1776, Washington judged the Continental Army ready to fight. He placed them in a semi-circle around Boston and gave the orders for its cannons to bombard the British forces. The British withdrew for Boston.

Moving Toward Independence Some Americans still hoped to avoid a complete break With Britain, but support for absolute independence was growing. In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense that captured the attention of the American colonists. Paine called for complete independence from Britain. He argued that it was “common sense” to stop following the “royal brute,” King George III. Paine explained the cause was not just a squabble over taxes, but a struggle for freedom. Common Sense inspired thousands of Americans.

The Colonies Declared Independence At the Second Continental Congress, one issue occupied the delegates: should the colonies declare themselves an independent nation, or should they stay under British rule? While the delegates debated the issue, the Congress chose a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was selected to write it. On July 2, 1776 the Congress approved a resolution for independence proposed by Richard Henry Lee from Virginia.

The Colonies Declared Independence After some changes, the Congress approved Jefferson’s draft of the declaration of independence. John Hancock, the president of the Congress, was first to sign and declared he wrote his name large enough for King George to read it without his glasses. Copies of the declaration were sent to the newly declared states.

The Declaration of Independence The Declaration has 4 sections: Preamble, or introduction, states that people who wish to form a new country should explain their reasons for doing so. Next two sections list the rights the colonists believed they should have and their complaints against Britain. The last, proclaims the existence of the new nation. The Declaration states that government exists to protect rights and lists many grievances Americans had against the king and Parliament.

The Declaration of Independence The crimes of George III included: “cutting off trade with all parts of the world.” “imposing taxes on us without our consent.” The Declaration ends by announcing Americans new status: a new nation. The struggle for American independence – the American Revolution – had begun.