The American Revolution (1775)

I. First Continental Congress 1.Discuss acceptable forms of protest & reaction 2.Assert the rights of colonials  repeal the Coercive Acts 3.Urged colonies to 1.Build up military reserves 2.Organize boycotts of British goods

Declaration of Rights & Grievances 4.Sent to the king to correct the wrongs against the colonists 1.Acknowledged parliament to regulate trade & commerce 2.The Association—”boycott committees” 3.Agreed to meet May of 1775, if their grievances were not met. 5.Parliament did not respond 6.War would break out before the delegates could meet again.

The Shot Heard ’Round the World!

II. The Fight Begins 1.Lexington & Concord 1.British General Thomas Gage 2.Seize armaments & rebels in Concord 3.Minutemen—waited in Lexington to stop the British in their tracks 4.“The shot heard around the world” 5.Minutemen forced a treat of the British, 250 KIA

Bunker Hill 2.Bunker Hill—June 17, Colonists were defeated British KIA and WIA 3.Significance 1.Massive casualties on the British 2.King declared the colonies in rebellion  declaration of war 3.Hessians mercenaries (Germany) were hired by the king 4.Colonists viewed this as a motive for a war of annihilation.

III.Strengths/Weaknesses Colonies vs. Britain 1.British Advantages 1.Larger population 2.Greater financial resources 3.Professional army 4.Large Navy 5.Indians generally allied with the British 6.Many Americans, Tories loyalists 7.Black, offered freedom, for service

2.British Disadvantages 1.Britain’s military stretched thin 2.European style of fighting 3.3,000 miles from home 4.Destroy Washington’s Army

3.Colonial (Patriot) Advantages 1.Fighting for liberty & way of life 2.Excellent Officers 3.Guerilla Warfare 4.French help after Protracted war—British lose their will

4.Colonial Disadvantages 1.Smaller army 2.Continental Congress had no power to tax or create currency 3.Most Americans Loyalists or indifferent 4.Supply shortages 5.A long war

Who is easier to see and shoot?

The Second Continental Congress (1775) Olive Branch Petition

IV. Second Continental Congress 1.May Congress drew up military plans 2.Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms 1.American army, led by Washington 2.American navy, disrupt British shipping

2.Olive Branch Petition 1.Last gesture of peace to stop war 2.July Reasserted colonial loyalty to the crown  asked King George III to intervene with Parliament on their behalf 4.The king refused

V. Common Sense 1.Thomas Paine, Jan Read all over (120,000 sold) 3.Attacked the entire system of monarchy and empire 4.“Monarchy & hereditary succession have laid the world in blood & ashes”

Common Sense (cont’d) 5.Used Locke’s natural rights to justify British rebellion 6.It would be contrary to common sense to allow the injustices to continue

Richard Henry Lee

VI. Declaration of Independence (1776) 1.Richard Henry Lee-Lee’s Resolution 1.American colonies should be independent states 2.Confederate form of government formed for future discussion 3.Foreign relations should begin with other countries

Declaration of Independence (1776) (cont’d) 2.John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson (who wrote the declaration) 3.Enlightenment (Locke) influence 4.1 st part (includes Preamble) 1.Necessity of independence; for basic natural laws and rights 5.2 nd part 1.Lists abuses/maltreatments of the king and his gov.

6. July 4, 1776-formally approved 7. Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, a committee was appointed to draft the 1 st constitution—the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION!!!

VII. Independence (Not Dependence) 1.Patriots--independence 2.Loyalists or Tories—sided with Great Britain 3.Indifferent

VIII. Battle of Saratoga 1.Albany, NY, British Gen. Burgoyne defeated by General Horatio Gates 3.Turning Point 1.France joined the Americans

IX. Battle of Yorktown & the Treaty of Paris Yorktown, Last major battle of the Revolution 2.Washington & the French force the surrender of British General Cornwallis

Battle of Yorktown & the Treaty of Paris 1783 (cont’d) 2.At Paris Formal recognition of the United States as a country 2.Boundary stretched west to the Mississippi River 3.Fishing rights off Newfoundland 4.Americans agreed to repay debts to British merchants 5.Promise not to punish Loyalists that remain in the U.S.

New National Symbols