Chapter 2 Early History and the Constitution

The Continental Congresses The First Continental Congress (1774) Held at Carpenter’s Hall Gathering of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies (Georgia didn’t attend until 1775) Little talk of independence Passed resolutions- 1. requesting colonies to send a petition to King George III expressing grievances 2. Requesting colonies raise their own troops 3. Boycott British trade Result: British government condemned Congress’s actions (treated as acts of rebellion)

The Continental Congresses Second Continental Congress (1775) All colonies were present Fighting had broken out between the British and the colonies One of the main acts of the Congress was to establish an army- declared militia around Boston an army and named George Washington commander in chief. Congress stilled attempted peaceful settlement w/ British Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Pamphlet argued that a government of the colonies is a natural right

Declaring Independence April Second Continental Congress voted for free trade with everyone except Britain. May Congress suggested that colonies establish their own state governments (not connected to Britain) July 2, Resolution of Independence adopted by Second Continental Congress the Resolution was not legally significant It didn’t establish legal rights, but the resolution and the Declaration of Independence established the legitimacy of a new nation (in the eyes of the colonists and other foreign governments besides Britain) Significance: Helped with foreign supplies and military support

Declaration of Independence Second Continental Congress assigned Thomas Jefferson the task of writing the Declaration of Independence He wrote many drafts and amended the writing to gain complete acceptance of all the colonies (his condemnation of the slave trade was eliminated to satisfy the southern colonies) The bulk of the declaration was passed on July 4, 1776 July 19, the modified draft became the “unanimous declaration” for the 13 colonies August 2, signed by the members of the 2 nd Continental Congress

Declaration of Independence The revolutionary concept of the declaration was the assumption of natural rights (unalienable Rights) “Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness” Jefferson was influenced by John Locke Locke said all people have natural rights (life, liberty, property) and that the government’s job is to protect these rights. He also came up with the idea of a social contract- agreement among people to form a gov’t and abide by its rules. The declaration goes on to justify the colonists’ revolt The declaration was not immortalized until the 19 th century