Chapter 2 Section 2

The Colonies on Their Own  Colonists owed allegiance to the monarch and British government  Colonies served as a source of raw materials  Colonist became accustomed to governing themselves  Colonists remained loyal in return for self-rule and protection from the French and Indians.

Early Attempt at Colonial Unity  Albany Plan of Union (1754)  Benjamin Franklin  Plan for uniting the colonies to deal with trade issues and Indian attacks  Colonies and the Crown rejected it  Gave too much power to an assembly made up of representatives from all 13 colonies

Britain Tightens Control  French and Indian War ( )  Tightened Britain’s hold on the continent  Started as land struggle between France and Britain  Great Britain won the war

Causes of Independence Movement The British were left with a large war debt – expected the colonies to help repay New monarch, George III, had different ideas about how the colonies should be governed.

Causes of Independence Movement  Proclamation of 1763: Closed the frontier west of the Appalachians  Quartering Act of 1765: Colonial towns had to provide barracks and supplies for local garrisons of British troops. British army could commandeer inns, taverns, and other structures to house troops.

Taxing the Colonies  Import taxes were increased and new duties levied on products such as tea, sugar, glass, lead and paper. Sugar Act (1763) Townshend Acts (1767)  Stamp Act (1765)  First direct tax aimed solely at Americans  Tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, playing cards, etc.—things printed on paper had to show a “stamp” indicating a tax had been paid.

Stamp Act Congress: 1 st time colonies (9) joined to oppose British government. “No Taxation Without Representation!” became slogan of the Sons of Liberty

 Britain’s revenue increased  Colonial resentment grew: Evasion of laws & sporadic violence  “Boston Massacre” (1770) Organized Protests  Refusal to buy British goods (boycott)  Boston Tea Party (1773) – British tea was dumped into Boston Harbor in protest of taxation

British response to Colonial protests:  Intolerable Acts (1774) ( Referred to as the Coercive Acts in Great Britain)  Closed the Boston Harbor  Withdrew the right of MA to govern itself

 British policies spurred an American sense of community.  Most Colonists of this era were born in the New World, and began to think of themselves as Americans.

Committees of Correspondence  Colonial committees that urged resistance to the British and kept in touch with one another as events unfolded  Samuel Adams established first committee in Boston (1772)

The First Continental Congress  Delegates from all the colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia in 1774  Sent Declaration of Rights to the king.  Key Leaders  Patrick Henry  Samuel Adams  Richard Henry Lee  George Washington

 Embargo – 1 st Cont.Congresss issued an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with Great Britain  King George III declared the New England governments in a “…state of rebellion.”  April 19, 1775  British arrive – Battle of Lexington and Concord  “Shot heard ‘round the world”

Second Continental Congress  Assumed the powers of a central government in May  President – John Hancock  Voted to organize an army and navy and to issue money  George Washington – commander of the Continental Army

Second Continental Congress  Served as the acting government of the colonies throughout the war  Purchased supplies, negotiated treaties, rallied support for the colonists’ cause

Coming of Independence  Common Sense  Thomas Paine published pamphlet, Jan  Argued that monarchy was a corrupt form of government; George III was an enemy to liberty  Samuel Adams declared that America was already independent

The Declaration of Independence  Committee to draft a Declaration of Independence:  John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman  Jefferson was author.  June 28, 1776 – edited draft to Congress  July 4, 1776 – Congress approves final draft

 John Hancock first to sign  56 delegate signatures  “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America”

Purposes of the Declaration Expressed ideals from thinkers such as Locke and Rousseau  Set out colonists’ reasons for proclaiming independence  Put forth the founding principles of the new nation  Justify the revolution

Three Parts of Dec. of Ind. No government at that time had been founded on the principles of human liberty and consent of the governed. 1) Preamble: begins with a statement of purpose and basic human rights. 2) Grievances: the middle section lists specific complaints against George III 3) Conclusion: states the colonists’ determination to separate from Great Britain

The First State Constitutions  Transformation of the colonies into states subject to no higher authority  By the end of 1776, 10 states had adopted written constitutions  Recognized the people as the sole source of authority in a limited government with only those powers given by the people

Common Features of New States  Popular Sovereignty  Limited Government  Civil Rights and Liberties clearly defined (Bill of Rights)  Separation of Powers with Checks & Balances (organized with independent branches of government)