Through The Declaration of Independence Lets study the nations most important document……

The Declaration of Independence An Overview video.. Click the Black box to watch video.

What led to the writing of the Declaration Of Independence and the Revolutionary War?

1.French and Indian War Britain helped colonists defeat French in war Britain needed money to pay for war expenses Taxed colonists, restricted settlements and limited self-government

2.Sugar Act and Stamp Act British taxed colonists on many of the goods coming into the colonies from other places British imposed taxes upon all paper products and stamped the item once the tax had been played.

Colonists react… No Taxation Without Representation!

The Causes of the Declaration of Independence: Click on links for more information The Declaration of Independence was a desperate cry for freedom. The British colonists living in America had grown used to being their own bosses in many ways. They thought that the British Parliament and its King, George III, were making too many laws that took away too many of their freedoms.George III Some examples of these are the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. Both put very high taxes on things that the American colonists used every day: paper and sugar. The Americans hadn't voted for these taxes. They hadn't even elected the members of Parliament who had passed the laws that created those taxes. To the Americans, this was "taxation without representation." They thought they had no say in what their government did to them. People who lived in Britain could protest and even choose not to re-elect lawmakers who voted for such taxes. But the Americans didn't have that option. They had to accept the taxes.Stamp ActSugar Act Or so Britain thought. The Americans weren't about to accept such high taxes. Each new Act brought more outrage in America. In one serious set of acts, which the Americans called the Intolerable Acts, the British closed the port of Boston and made it OK for British soldiers to stay in American houses without the owners' permission. The British government thought that by coming down hard on Massachusetts, it could isolate the colony and keep the rest of the 13 Colonies from following the example of Massachusetts. (After all, Massachusetts seemed to be always stirring up trouble: the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party...)Intolerable Acts13 ColoniesBoston MassacreBoston Tea Party But the Intolerable Acts had the opposite effect. American colonists everywhere were angry. The following months saw the first meeting of the Continental Congress. Among other things, this group of delegates from all 13 colonies wanted to boycott British goods throughout the colonies. Not even a year later, the Revolutionary War had begun.Continental CongressRevolutionary War Elsewhere on the Web A Multitude of Amendments Biographies of the SignersA Multitude of AmendmentsBiographies of the Signers The Declaration of Independence was a desperate cry for freedom. The British colonists living in America had grown used to being their own bosses in many ways. They thought that the British Parliament and its King, George III, were making too many laws that took away too many of their freedoms.George III Some examples of these are the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. Both put very high taxes on things that the American colonists used every day: paper and sugar. The Americans hadn't voted for these taxes. They hadn't even elected the members of Parliament who had passed the laws that created those taxes. To the Americans, this was "taxation without representation." They thought they had no say in what their government did to them. People who lived in Britain could protest and even choose not to re-elect lawmakers who voted for such taxes. But the Americans didn't have that option. They had to accept the taxes.Stamp ActSugar Act Or so Britain thought. The Americans weren't about to accept such high taxes. Each new Act brought more outrage in America. In one serious set of acts, which the Americans called the Intolerable Acts, the British closed the port of Boston and made it OK for British soldiers to stay in American houses without the owners' permission. The British government thought that by coming down hard on Massachusetts, it could isolate the colony and keep the rest of the 13 Colonies from following the example of Massachusetts. (After all, Massachusetts seemed to be always stirring up trouble: the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party...)Intolerable Acts13 ColoniesBoston MassacreBoston Tea Party But the Intolerable Acts had the opposite effect. American colonists everywhere were angry. The following months saw the first meeting of the Continental Congress. Among other things, this group of delegates from all 13 colonies wanted to boycott British goods throughout the colonies. Not even a year later, the Revolutionary War had begun.Continental CongressRevolutionary War Elsewhere on the Web A Multitude of Amendments Biographies of the SignersA Multitude of AmendmentsBiographies of the Signers The Declaration of Independence was a desperate cry for freedom. The British colonists living in America had grown used to being their own bosses in many ways. They thought that the British Parliament and its King, George III, were making too many laws that took away too many of their freedoms.George III Some examples of these are the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. Both put very high taxes on things that the American colonists used every day: paper and sugar. The Americans hadn't voted for these taxes. They hadn't even elected the members of Parliament who had passed the laws that created those taxes. To the Americans, this was "taxation without representation." They thought they had no say in what their government did to them. People who lived in Britain could protest and even choose not to re-elect lawmakers who voted for such taxes. But the Americans didn't have that option. They had to accept the taxes.Stamp ActSugar Act Or so Britain thought. The Americans weren't about to accept such high taxes. Each new Act brought more outrage in America. In one serious set of acts, which the Americans called the Intolerable Acts, the British closed the port of Boston and made it OK for British soldiers to stay in American houses without the owners' permission. The British government thought that by coming down hard on Massachusetts, it could isolate the colony and keep the rest of the 13 Colonies from following the example of Massachusetts. (After all, Massachusetts seemed to be always stirring up trouble: the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party...)Intolerable Acts13 ColoniesBoston MassacreBoston Tea Party But the Intolerable Acts had the opposite effect. American colonists everywhere were angry. The following months saw the first meeting of the Continental Congress. Among other things, this group of delegates from all 13 colonies wanted to boycott British goods throughout the colonies. Not even a year later, the Revolutionary War had begun.Continental CongressRevolutionary War Elsewhere on the Web A Multitude of Amendments Biographies of the SignersA Multitude of AmendmentsBiographies of the Signers Some examples of these are the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. Both put very high taxes on things that the American colonists used every day: paper and sugar. The Americans hadn't voted for these taxes. They hadn't even elected the members of Parliament who had passed the laws that created those taxes. To the Americans, this was "taxation without representation." They thought they had no say in what their government did to them. People who lived in Britain could protest and even choose not to re-elect lawmakers who voted for such taxes. But the Americans didn't have that option. They had to accept the taxes.Stamp ActSugar Act Or so Britain thought. The Americans weren't about to accept such high taxes. Each new Act brought more outrage in America. In one serious set of acts, which the Americans called the Intolerable Acts, the British closed the port of Boston and made it OK for British soldiers to stay in American houses without the owners' permission. The British government thought that by coming down hard on Massachusetts, it could isolate the colony and keep the rest of the 13 Colonies from following the example of Massachusetts. (After all, Massachusetts seemed to be always stirring up trouble: the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party...)Intolerable Acts13 ColoniesBoston MassacreBoston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party Lower price on British tea Colonists still pay taxes Boycotted British tea Sons of Liberty dressed in disguise and dumped British tea overboard

First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia

Intolerable Acts King George III passes theIntolerable Acts The Royal Navy blockades the Boston Harbor so no colonial goods could be sent out until tea was paid for. Colonists had to quarter the British soldiers. The King assigned British General Gage to be Massachusetts governor.

Conflict at Lexington and Concord British General Gage learns of hidden weapons in Concord Two lanterns hung in church tower to warn the British coming by sea (Charles River) Paul Revere and William Dawes make midnight ride to warn Minutemen of approaching British soldiers

Second Continental Congress Representatives brought money to help establish… the Continental Army (i.e. pay soldiers, buy guns, bullets, food, and uniforms

independence independence : (n) the freedom to govern on ones own. declaration declaration : (n) an official statement

Who was involved? Benjamin Franklin John Adams Robert R. Livingston Roger Sherman Thomas Jefferson

Where did it all take place? This is a replica of the Graff house where Jefferson wrote the majority of the 1 st draft of the Declaration of Independence. The original building (at this location) was destroyed in 1888.

What did it look like? Who wrote the first draft?

Who signed it first?

The Declaration of Independence Click here to watch the document that started it all:

What happened to the men who risked their lives to sign? See Word document The Price they paid and Declaration of Independence