1. Deep Thought Question November 16, 2010
Do you think America fully provides life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to its citizens today? Why or why not?
TOMORROW WILL BE REVIEW
THURSDAY WILL BE THE TEST
RANDOM FACT: The year 2020 is the next time you will see a FULL MOON on Halloween

2. Deep Thought Question Halloween, 2011
The Declaration of Independence states that all humans have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
For you, what does the pursuit of happiness mean? Describe your “happiness.”
Objectives
I can describe how the ideas of John Locke and the Enlightenment connect to the American Revolution.

3. There won’t be another Full Moon on Halloween until the year 2020.
Random Fact of the Day
There won’t be another Full Moon on Halloween until the year 2020.

4. Extra Credit Week!
All questions on the Extra Credit page of the website are up for grabs.
Are not restricted to just this week’s question.
Turn them in by Friday, November 4th!!!

5. Main Ideas
Enlightenment ideas helped spur the American colonies to shed British rule and create a new nation.
The revolution created a republic, the United States of America, that became a model for many nations of the world.

6. Introduction
The Glorious Revolution gave England a constitutional monarchy.
Laws limited King’s power.
Philosophes, such as Voltaire, considered England’s government the most progressive in Europe.
Did the colonists agree?
They thought George III ruled as dictator
“No taxation w/out representation”
Wanted to overthrow the government & create their own nation

7. Question #1 on Your Notes Page
Do the colonists agree that England’s government was the most progressive in Europe? Why or why not?

8. Britain and Its American Colonies
1600s-1700s – British settlement along the eastern shore of North America.
George III – King of Great Britain in 1760
Colonies were successfully growing
Population had grown from 250,000 to 2,150,000 between 1700 and 1740
Economically, the colonies thrived on trade with Europe.

9. Colonists’ Identity
By the mid-1700s, colonists had been living in America for 150 years.
Were they citizens of their colony or of Great Britain?
Colonists saw themselves as less British and more as Virginians or Pennsylvanians.
Each colony had its own government and much independence.
However, colonists were still British subjects and had to obey British laws.

10. Sources of Colonies’ Anger
Britain needed more money because of the many wars it had fought
British government decided to tax the colonists for the first time even though the colonies had no official representation in the government
“No taxation without representation”

11. The Influence of Enlightenment
Colonial leaders used Enlightenment ideas to justify independence.
Colonists asked for the same political rights as the people of Britain.
King refused.
Colonists felt justified in rebelling against a tyrant who broke the social contract.
Whose idea was the social contract?

12. Declaration of Independence
July 1776 – Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence.
Written by Thomas Jefferson
Based on ideas of Locke & the Enlightenment
Argued for natural rights.
Life
Liberty
Pursuit of Happiness

13. Contents of the DOI
Locke had asserted that people had the right to rebel against an unjust ruler IF the government does not protect the people’s rights
Therefore, the DOI listed George III’s abuses.
Ended by declaring the colonies’ separation from Britain.

14. Excerpts of the Declaration…
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

15. Wrongdoings of George III
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people

16. Reasons for Success
1. Americans had a stronger motivation for fighting.
2. Overconfident British generals made several mistakes.
3. Americans had time on their side.
British were fighting an overseas war.
3,000 miles away from home
Very expensive
British finally called for peace.

17. Declaration of Independence Writing Assignment On a separate sheet of paper…
You as a student body have decided to declare your independence from the ruling government (administration and teachers) at Madison Central
You have been chosen by your peers to construct a Declaration of Independence to deliver to the cruelest teacher of them all, Mr. Osborne…the Declaration should be about two paragraphs
In your Declaration, make sure to address…
the natural rights you as students should be granted
how the administration/teachers have failed to address them

18. How to start…
To the ruling government of Madison Central High School…

19. Exit Questions Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
John Adams
Alexander Hamilton
2. The Declaration of Independence promises what three natural rights?