The Road to Revolution

Patrick Henry Speaks Out!• When the House of

Burgesses met to consider the Stamp Act in May of 1765 Patrick Henry introduced the Virginia Resolutions protesting Parliament’s action

• In his speech he stated that since Americans elected no members to the British Parliament they should not be taxed by them

• This came to be know as “no taxation without representation”

The First Continental Congress• 56 delegates from 12

colonies attended the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia in September, 1774– Only Georgia did not

sent delegates • The Congress

petitioned the King for relief from the Intolerable Acts and vowed to stop trade with Britain until the acts were repealed

• Made a request for peace and fairness

The First Continental Congress• Did not approve

taxation without representation

• Gathered a list of grievances and stated their rights as colonists

• Continued to boycott and stopped trade with England

• Recommended that militias prepare to fight

• Set up their next meeting time.

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.

Second Continental Congress• Appointed Washington as

Commander of the Continental Army

• Made a request for peace called the Olive Branch Petition

• Set up a committee to write the Declaration of Independence– “Committee of Five”– The Committee of Five is composed of:

John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

• Set up a national government under the Articles of Confederation

• June - July 1775 - Congress establishes the Continental Army, a first national monetary currency and a post office to serve the "United Colonies."

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

• Colonists by the thousands buy copies of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense,” stating the cause of American independence. 

• The book divided Americans into either Patriots or Loyalists

Loyalist vs. Patriots

LOYALIST • A strong unified British Empire is

good for all• Colonist are British subjects and

should obey British law• Taxes are due to pay for the

French & Indian War which was fought to protect the colonies

• American colonies would be weak without Britain

• Colonies profit from trade with England

• Colonies profit from trade with England

• Colonies are too far away from England to have representation in Parliament, it’s just not practical

PATRIOT • People have rights government

can’t take away, like property • Taxation takes away property from

citizens (i.e.- money and goods)• Colonists don’t have voice in

Parliament, so England shouldn't’t tax colonies (No Taxation without Representation)

• There’s no way colonies could ever be represented in Parliament because it is too far away.

• Many colonist fought in the French & Indian War (we’ve done our part)

• British personnel are causing violence, riots, and death. (Boston Massacre & Boston Tea Party)

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”– "Resolved: That these United

Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved”

• On July 2nd, 1776, by the votes of 12 of the 13 colonies, with New York not voting, Congress adopts the Lee Resolution and begins consideration of the Declaration of Independence, written by the Committee of Five

• July 4, 1776 - Late in the afternoon, church bells ring out over Philadelphia heralding the final adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

• August 2, 1776 - The delegates of the Continental Congress sign the clearly printed or "engrossed" version of the Declaration.

The Declaration of Independence

• The Official Declaration of Independence was agreed upon on July 4th, 1776

• Its purpose was to justify the Revolution, state that the colonies were independent and to express the nation’s principles

• The rest is history!

Summary of DOI

• the Declaration of Independence outlined the colonists’ concerns about how King George III treated them, and was intended to convince the rest of the world as to why independence was needed. While the Declaration does not itself form a government, it does indicate what the colonists would avoid (abuse or power, or tyranny) or pursue (representation in the legislature, states’ rights) when they did form governments in the future. The two governments that were eventually formed were organized under the Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) and the U.S. Constitution (1789-present).

Editorial Assignment• Write an editorial to a colonial paper as

either a Loyalist or a Patriot detailing opposition or support for the American independence movement. The editorial should include details to support your position and include references to colonial grievances and rights.

• A page long • Follow Rubric for best grade possible (in

website)• Due on Wednesday

Example of Editorial