1. Road to Revolution & Declaring Independence
Mr. Winchell
APUSH
Period 3 Day 3
Road to Revolution & Declaring Independence

2. Committees of Correspondence
In Boston (of course), Patriots warned Americans of imperial domination and began a committee to communicate grievances to England and with each other.
Soon, Virginia and other assemblies followed.

3. Tea Act
May 1773
Financial relief for the East India Company, deeply in dept.
Kept American shopkeepers out of the tea game and ‘forced’ Americans to buy their tea from this British company.
Monopoly

4. Boston Tea Party Sons of Liberty
Disguised as Native Americans, went aboard 3 ships and destroyed $900,000 (today’s money) in tea.
“This destruction of the tea must have so important consequences, that I cannot but consider it as an epoch in history.”
John Adams.
King is pissed. “Concessions have made matters worse.”

5. Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts)
Response to Boston Tea Party.
Massachusetts:
Pay for the tea.
Submit to imperial authority.
Boston Harbor closed to shipping.
Prohibited town hall meetings
New Quartering Acts
Trials now in Britain, not colonies for capital crimes.
“The cause of Boston now is and ever will be considered as the cause of America.”
George Freakin’ Washington

6. First Continental Congress
In response to the Coercive Acts.
12 colonies sent reps.
Philadelphia, September 1774.
Differing Agendas!
Southern colonies wanted an economic boycott
New England wanted political union and independence
Middle colonies wanted compromise
Demanded a repeal of the Coercive Acts and removal of British regulations on all buy trade.
Threat of all out commercial warfare

7. Loyalists
Despite movements towards independence, many colonists were hesitant.
Many poor colonists thought the Patriots were only advocating independence for their own self interest.
Many were worried about anarchy/lack of government.
As Patriots took over local governments, Loyalists were persecuted and driven from homes/businesses.

8. First Battle
British attempt to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock/seize weapons.
Spies uncovered plans
“The British are Coming….”
British win early/Colonists fight back
Pushed back by ‘Colonial Militias’ to Boston

9. Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by the legislatures of several British North American colonies which met from May 10, 1775, to March 1, 1781
By the time the Second Continental Congress met, the American Revolutionary War had already started with the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.
Thus, the Second Continental Congress found itself in the unenviable position of being the decision-making body of a military alliance at war with a far more powerful enemy.

10. Thomas Paine and Common Sense
In January 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense
He attacked the strongest bond tying tying America to Britain – the King
He pointed out the advantages of freedom from British rule and commercial restrictions
The book divided Americans into either Patriots or Loyalists

11. Independence!
Beginning in April of 1776, the colonies advised their delegates to vote for independence
On June 7th, Richard Henry Lee introduced a brief “Resolution of Independence”
On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted Lee’s resolution “that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states.”

12. Background
January 1776 – Common Sense is distributed throughout colonies
June 7, Richard Henry Lee offers a resolution to Congress that “these United Colonies…ought to be free and independent”
June 11, 1776 – Congress appoints a committee to write a Declaration of Independence: Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, John Adams, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson

13. Background
July 4, 1776 – Declaration of Independence is adopted by Congress, John Hancock was the first person to sign it
August 2, 1776 – Declaration of Independence is signed by 50 present members of Congress, Franklin remarks “We must all hang together or we shall hang separately.”

14. Main Author – Thomas Jefferson
Although there were 5 men appointed to write the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was the main author
Congress only accepted the Declaration of Independence after they cut a large portion that attacked slavery

15. Jefferson’s Viewpoint on the Major Issues of His Time
He believed in the separation of church and state.
He believed that the colonies had the right to overthrow a tyrannical government.

16. Enlightenment Jefferson used the Enlightenment ideas of JOHN LOCKE
People are born with certain natural rights: life, liberty and property
People form governments to protect these rights
If governments interfere with these rights, the people have the right to OVERTHROW them

17. Purpose
To show why the colonies were revolting against Britain and Declaring their Independence

18. Intended Audience
The audience were those wanting independence from England.
International audience

19. 4 Parts of the Declaration of Independence
Preamble
Declaration of Natural Rights
List of Grievances
Resolution of Independence

20. “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separate.”
Preamble
When it is necessary for people to separate from their government, these people need to tell others the reasons why they are separating.

21. Declaration of Natural Rights
Second part of the Declaration of Independence
Lists the rights of the citizens
Explains that in a republic, the government is there to protect the rights of the people
Jefferson calls these rights UNALIENABLE rights, which means they can never be taken away

22. List of Grievances Here are some of the complaints:
British soldiers in colonies without permission
Quartering British troops in the colonies
Not punishing these troops when they harm colonists
Cutting off the colonists’ trade with the rest of the world
Taxing the colonists without their permission
NAVIGATION ACTS
STAMP ACT
QUARTERING ACT
TEA ACT
INTOLERABLE ACTS

23. Resolution of Independence
Final part of the Declaration of Independence
Declares that the colonies are “Free and Independent States”
Includes the signatures of the signers of the Declaration of Independence

24. Resolution of Independence
These states have the power to:
Declare war
Trade with other countries
Form alliances

25. A Landmark
Marks the FIRST TIME EVER that a group of revolutionaries explained in detail why they had the right to change their government
Ideas of the Declaration of Independence influenced the French Revolution and revolutions in South America.

26. The Dawn of the Revolution
Many in the Colonies had mixed views about the Revolution
Was not only a War of Independence but a civil war as well
Loyalists (Tories)
Consisted about 1/3 of the population
New York, Carolinas, & Georgia
Remained loyal to the King
Many during the Revolution fled to England or Canada
Some joined the British Army and fought against the colonials
Patriots
Consisted about 2/3 of the population
Soft 2/3
New England and Virginia
Fearlessly independent
Hated loyalists

27. British Strengths and Weaknesses
Enemies Everywhere
Ireland was close to rebellion
France is looking for payback
Unwillingness amongst many to fight their “cousins”
Whig party actually favored the American cause
Supply problems
15 year old biscuits
Had to conquer a “nation” that had no center
Taking American cities had no impact on the war
Distance and Communication issues
Strengths
Population
$$$
Hired Hessian mercenaries to fight in the war
Professional Army
Huge Navy
Largest navy in the world
Could cut off the colonies
Thousands of Loyalists supported them

28. American Strengths and Weaknesses
Leadership
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson
European recruits
Marquis de Lafayette
Baron von Steuben
Defensive war or just survive
Just Cause
Willing allies
Weaknesses
Lack of unity amongst states
Many American merchants actually sold to the British instead of the Continental Army
Sectional jealousy
Inflation
Lack of supplies
Almost no industry in the colonies
Little military knowledge or training
American troops often broke and ran away during battle
Desertion was a huge problem