THE PRELUDE TO REVOLUTION …the Declaration of Independence

GREAT BRITAIN …and her North American Colonies N.A. Colonists as ‘ENGLISHMEN’ “…an extension of English government.” Rights of Englishmen? * Ordered, LIMITED & REPRESENTATIVE govt * ‘RULE OF LAW,’ private property rights (Magna Carta, 1215) * Quartering of soldiers, standing armies (Petition of Right, 1628) English Bill of Rights, 1688 * English Bill of Rights, 1688 VA in 1607 to GA in 1733 ‘FEDERAL’ system evolved!

SEVEN YEARS WAR aka the “French & Indian War” KING GEORGE III …inherits the throne in 1760! Sends ‘regulars’ to impose order Regulate & tax colonies WAR ENDS IN 1763 * DEBT, LAND & RESENTMENT… Battle Royale! British vs. French Why important? …the beginning of hostilities!

KING GEORGE III Moving Towards Revolution WAR ENDS IN ) Royal Proclamation of ) Sugar Act (1764) & Stamp Act (1765) 3.) Quartering Act (1765) 4.) ‘STAMP ACT CONGRESS’ & Declaratory Act (1766) *** 5.) Townshend Acts (1767) 6.) ‘BOSTON MASSACRE’ (1770) 7.) Tea Act & the ‘BOSTON TEA PARTY’ (1773) 8.) INTOLERABLE ACTS – 1774 *** * Closed ‘Boston Harbor’ – Quartering of soldiers! * MA became under control of Parliament * Allowed Royal Governors to move trials to London

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Moving Towards Revolution Sept. – Oct * Meeting of delegates (56) from 12 of 13 colonies (GA) – in response to the ‘Intolerable Acts’ * MET TO CONSIDER OPTIONS – economic boycott of British trade; rights & grievances; petitioned KGIII for redress of those grievances

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS …and the start of the American Revolution CONTINENTAL CONGRESS meets again (May 1775) after start of the Revolution (April 19, 1775) What to do with fighting? – COORDINATED WAR EFFORT What to do with fighting? – COORDINATED WAR EFFORT Created the CONTINENTAL ARMY (June 1775) Created the CONTINENTAL ARMY (June 1775) Appointed GEORGE WASHINGTON as COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF Appointed GEORGE WASHINGTON as COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF Issued the OLIVE BRANCH PETITION (July 1775) Issued the OLIVE BRANCH PETITION (July 1775) Created currency – the CONTINENTAL Created currency – the CONTINENTAL

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS …and the Declaration of Independence! JOHN ADAMS & RICHARD HENRY LEE Thomas Paine’s COMMON SENSE (January 1776) Thomas Paine’s COMMON SENSE (January 1776) May Preamble May Preamble LEE RESOLUTION (June 7, 1776) ‘Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming FOREIGN ALLIANCES. That a PLAN OF CONFEDERATION be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.’ LEE RESOLUTION DID THREE THINGS…

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS …and the Committee of Five! COMMITTEE OF FIVE – commissioned to create a statement to the world the reasons for declaring independence (June 11, 1776) TOMAS JEFFERSON, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman & Robert Livingston June 28, 1776 TJ’s final text of the ‘DOI’ is presented to the Cont. Cong. July 2, 1776 ‘LEE RESOLUTION’ is adopted by the Cont. Cong. July 4, 1776 ‘DOI’ is adopted by the Cont. Cong.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Preamble Sec. 1.) “What reason(s) did the Founding Fathers give for their decision to write out a declaration?” (think Locke, Hobbes, Enlightenment, etc.) …THE REASONS FOR WRITING AND ISSUING THE DECLARATION. THINK “PRINCIPLES on which the U.S. was founded upon.” What is the point of the PREAMBLE? LAWS OF NATURE – Nature’s God ‘DECLARE THE CAUSES…’

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Statement of Beliefs …WHAT THE UNDERSIGNED BELIEVED, THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE DOCUMENT. Sec. 2.) “List FIVE beliefs that the ‘Founding Fathers’ declared they held.” (think purpose & role of government, etc.) THINK “PRINCIPLES on which the U.S. was founded upon.” UNALIENABLE RIGHTS What is the PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT according to TJ? Where do governments DERIVE THEIR POWER from? RIGHT TO REVOLUTION?

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE List of Complaints Against the Colonies by King George III …THE OFFENSES COMMITTED BY GREAT BRITAIN THAT IMPELLED THE DECLARATION. Sec. 3.) “List FIVE complaints made in the Declaration. Are any specific events mentioned? If not, is the information given sufficient to figure out to which events the complaints refer to?” THINK “HISTORICAL CONTEXT & EXAMPLES in the relationship between Great Britain and her colonies.” Repeated attacks on SELF & REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT Influence over the JUDICIARY Standing ARMIES

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Statement of Colonists Attempts to Redress Grievances …ATTEMPTS BY COLONISTS TO ADDRESS BRITISH OFFENSES. Sec. 4.) “In what way(s) did the framers claim to have already tried in addressing the complaints?” OLIVE BRANCH PETITION ‘Enemies in War, in Peace Friends’

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE The Colonial Declaration of Independence from Great Britain …MAIN PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT; CLIMAX OF THE DOCUMENT! Sec. 5.) “What FIVE things will change in the colonies as a result of the Declaration?” Sec. 5.) “What references to God are made in this section?” Free and INDEPENDENT STATE ABSOLVED FROM ALLEGIANCE to British Crown LEVY WAR, CONTRACT ALLIANCES, ESTABLISH COMMERCE “…do all other Acts and Things which independent States may of right do.”

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE The Signatures Sec. 6.) “Which signers do you recognize? From where?” …INDIVIDUAL COLONISTS WHO REPRESENTED COLONISTS ACCEPTANCE OF THE DECLARATION.