By Stephanie EllegoodGraves Central Elementary School

HISTORY ALIVE! CHAPTER 12THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

TERMS TO KNOW……. Declaration of Independence: The document that announced

that the American _________________ were breaking away from _________________________. It was approved by the ____________________________________ on July ___, 1776.

Second Continental Congress: The meeting of _________________ from the American colonies that began in _______________________ in 1775. This Congress approved the Declaration of Independence and acted as the ______________________ during the Revolutionary War.

Common Sense: A short, powerful book by _______________________ printed in 1776 that argued _____________ and _______________ that the American colonies should break away from Great Britain.

COLONIESGREAT BRITAIN

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 4

DELEGATESPHILADELPHIA

GOVERNMENT

THOMAS PAINEPLAINLY SIMPLY

12.2 THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

The Second Continental Congress meeting began on May 10, 1775.

____ delegates were a part of the Congress including __________________________, ____________________, and ______________________.

The Second Continental Congress had 3 important tasks:

#1 (and most important): organize the colonies for war against the British.

Shortly before Congress met, the Patriot ___________ (small armies made up of ordinary citizens) fought against the British soldiers at __________________ and _______________. The small militias were ordinary men who were not properly trained. Congress decided the colonies need a more ___________________ army so it created the Continental Army.

65GEORGE WASHINGTON JOHN ADAMS

BEN FRANKLIN

MILITIA

LEXINGTON CONCORD

ORGANIZED

12.2 THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

#2: decided who should lead the new Army.

They chose a strong leader/experienced soldier: __________________________.

#3 (and most difficult): decided whether or not to declare independence from Britain.

Some ___________ were ready to declare independence, such as John Adams.

Most of the delegates were still _________ to King George III. Even as fighting began, these loyalists still wanted to make peace with Britain.

GEORGE WASHINGTON

PATRIOTS

LOYAL

12.3 THOMAS PAINE & COMMON SENSE

Most colonists were ___________________ on independence. They wanted Britain to listen to their problems, but they were still loyal British citizens.

In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a booklet called Common Sense. He stated that it was natural for people to ________________________ instead of being ruled by a king. He thought America could show the whole world a ____________ form of government.

UNDECIDED

RULE THEMSELVES

BETTER

12.3 THOMAS PAINE & COMMON SENSE

Common Sense was written in ____________ but STRONG words that everyone could understand.

For example, Paine knew many thought of Britain as a ____________ country, so he wrote that parents do not “make ______ upon their own families.”

Soon 120,000 copies of Common Sense were printed. Because of this, by the spring of 1776 most people were ready for the Continental Congress to vote for independence.

SIMPLE

PARENTWAR

12.4 WRITING THE DECLARATION OF IND. _______________________ helped convince the Continental

Congress to move toward independence. On June 7, 1776 Virginia delegates introduced a statement to Congress stating that the colonies had the right to be ________ and independent states.

___________________________ wrote the first draft of the colonies’ declaration of independence. Jefferson wrote and rewrote the document many times over a two week period. It was presented to Congress after ___________________ and ______________________________ made a few changes.

After several days of arguing over independence, the delegates voted on July 2nd to _____________ from Britain. Congress then spent 2 days getting every word of the declaration just right and voting on changes.

On __________________, Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence.

COMMON SENSE

FREE

THOMAS JEFFERSON

JOHN ADAMSBENJAMIN FRANKLIN

SEPARATE

JULY 4, 1776

12.5 SIGNING THE DECLARATION OF IND.

The delegates signed a handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence. Signing it was an act of ______________ toward the king (a crime of disloyalty toward a ruler/government). The delegates agreed that they must stay united.

______________________ signed first and the largest.

Once signed by all delegates, Congress sent copies to each _______________ and to the __________________________. People everywhere in the colonies celebrated!!!

TREASON

JOHN HANCOCK

COLONY CONTINENTAL ARMY

12.5 SIGNING THE DECLARATION OF IND.

George Washington read the declaration to his troops, and the soldiers tore down a statue of ______________________. They melted down the statue to make bullets for the Continental Army. In ________________ troops celebrated by firing guns and cannons.

There were church bells ringing, parades, and bonfires. Today we celebrate in similar ways on the 4th of July, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

KING GEORGE III

BOSTON

12.6 THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The Second Continental Congress felt it was important to explain why they wanted to be a separate _____________. Five of the _____________ (passages) of the Declaration of Independence are described below……..

1st excerpt: Explains why the colonists felt it was __________________ to write the document.

NATIONEXCERPTS

NECESSARY

12.6 THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

2nd excerpt: Describes the __________ that _________________ should have (THIS IS ON THE TEST). 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.

3rd excerpt: Explains why _____________________ are established and describes the citizens’ rights if the government acts ____________.

4th excerpt: Describes a general _______________ against the British King.

5th excerpt: Declares the colonies’ ______________________.

RIGHTSALL PEOPLE

GOVERNMENTS

UNFAIRLY

COMPLAINT

INDEPENDENCE