The Beginnings of Revolution

Bellwork 3/9/15

• In your notebooks, list what you think are the THREE most important rights and responsibilities you have as an American (three for each category).

• Right: a legal guarantee; a moral principle• Responsibility: an obligation or duty.

Something you must do

• How might this have been more difficult if it included people from other national backgrounds?

• How difficult would it have been for the American colonists and the British government to have developed shared ideas of rights and responsibilities?

• Based on your knowledge to this point what would the British government have identified as the top three rights and responsibilities of American colonists? What would the colonists themselves have said about their top three rights?

Quick Facts

• Fought between the British and American colonists (many of whom were from Britain themselves)

• Beginning in 1765, many of the colonists began to reject the British Empire’s authority to tax them without representation in Parliament

• War lasted from 1775-1783• Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776):

Document that announced and explained America’s separation from Great Britain

Key Ideals in the Declaration

• Equality• Unalienable rights• Consent of the governed• The right to alter or abolish government