1. Welcome Work - Please answer in your ISN.

2. Second Continental Congress

3. Essential Question
How did the colonial leaders respond to British control of the colonies?

4. Second Continental Congress (1775)
The colonial leaders met for the second time in Philadelphia during May of 1775 to discuss what to do
65 men met in Independence Hall to decide what steps would be made by the colonies

5. Second Continental Congress (1775)
The presiding officer of the Congress was John Hancock
Other participants:
Thomas Jefferson
Ben Franklin
John Adams
Samuel Adams
Patrick Henry
George Washington

6. Second Continental Congress (1775)
New England representatives like John Adams from Massachusetts wanted the colonies to:
Form their own governments.
Declare independence.
Recognize the minutemen as the Continental Army.
Pick a general to lead an army against the British.
Other colonial representatives [mostly non-New England colonists] like John Dickinson from PA still held out hope to stay with England.

7. Second Continental Congress (1775)
Decisions made by the Second Continental Congress
Military: The Continental Army was created and George Washington was chosen as the commander
Financial: Authorize the printing of colonial money.
Foreign Affairs: The Congress sent representatives to France and other locations throughout Europe in order to try to gain allies.
Ben Franklin participates in this committee

8. Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)
Document created by Congress to cool relations
Colonies state loyalty to the King
Ask for His help in ending the conflict
Following Bunker Hill, June 1775, (costly victory for British), King George III proclaimed colonies in rebellion and hired Hessians to crush rebels and blockades the American coast.

9. Washington takes Boston
Washington has captured weapons from Ticonderoga brought to Boston
By March 1776: Washington had enough weapons
Takes Boston
Forces the British to retreat out of Boston Harbor
British sail to Halifax Nova Scotia with 1,100 Loyalists (colonists who sympathized with the British)

10. Second Continental Congress
Washington, Commander of Continental Army

11. Common Sense -Rallies support in colonies for Independence
-Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
sells 120,000 copies.
Appealed to natural law ("an island should not rule a continent")
King George was brutish and undeserving of colonials' respect
America had a moral obligation to the world to be independent and democratic
-Rallies support in colonies for Independence

12. Respond to your EQ in your ISN. Use details to support your answer!
EXIT TICKET
Respond to your EQ in your ISN. Use details to support your answer!

13. Welcome Work Get out your ISN
Title a new page “Declaration of Independence”
EQ: What was the meaning and impact of the Declaration of Independence specifically the philosophical principles in the preamble, the major grievances, and the final declaration of independence?
SS.8.C.1.2; SS.8.A.3.6; SS.8.A.3.7

14. Essential Question
What was the meaning and impact of the Declaration of Independence specifically the philosophical principles in the preamble, the major grievances, and the final declaration of independence? SS.8.C.1.2; SS.8.A.3.6; SS.8.A.3.7

15. Second Continental Congress
-Meet in the middle of war -Philadelphia, PA (May 10, 1775) -1st Job: Appoint General of Continental Army (George Washington) -2nd Job: Decide how to end war

16. Second Continental Congress (1776)
Decisions made by the Second Continental Congress
Independence: Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence and it was approved and signed by the Congress on July 4th 1776
Government: Approved the passage of the Articles of Confederation as the first government of the new nation in 1777

17. The Declaration of Independence
-June 7, 1776; Independence proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia -Committee organized to draft document (John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingstone, Thomas Jefferson) -Jefferson chosen to write document -July 4, 1776; Declaration of Independence adopted by Second Continental Congress (America is now independent of England)

18. Second Continental Congress declared independence July 2, 1776.
Jefferson headed the committee drafting the written statement. Arguments were based on John Locke's contract theory of government:
All people have natural rights ("Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness")
When a government abuses rights, the people have a right to "alter or abolish" it
King George has acted tyrannically. Long list of wrongs done by King to colonists.
The colonies are independent.
Declaration gave a clear position for rebellious colonists, forcing others to choose rebellion or declare as Loyalists.

21. Wrap-up
Why did the Continental Congress write a Declaration of Independence?
How did this declaration change the war?