Responding to the Americans –Domination and Resistance

And it begins: Lexington and Concord April, 1775

The British decide to raid a store of guns and ammo in Concord and capture two leaders of the Boston resistance hiding in Lexington : John Hancock and Samuel Adams

The British are Coming!!

• The British left Boston on the night of April 18, 1775 , marching for Lexington and Concord

• Paul Revere and his riders saw them and rode ahead to warn the citizens that “The British are Coming.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4hUMQG3MI8

The Battles of Lexington and

Concord

• The British arrived in Lexington and were greeted in the Town Square by armed militia – the Minutemen

• The “shot heard round the world” was fired and the first battle of the revolution was fought –the British won

• The British marched onto Concord but found heavy armed resistance and fled back to Boston

The Shot Heard Round the World

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZMmPWTwTHc

The Aftermath of Lexington and Concord: Stalemate

• After the battles at Lexington and Concord, the colonies galvanized for action to forcibly defend their land – their America!

• England and King George decided to fight for what they felt was legally theirs!

• The 2nd Continental Congress is called and delegates from all 13 colonies meet in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775 to discuss what should be done in response to the new situations brought about by British aggression.

The Second Continental Congress : May 10, 1775

First Actions of the 2nd Continental Congress

• War and Independence were not the first options for the Colonists.

• America offers the Olive Branch Petition for Peace, which is rejected by King George

– It’s either total submission to the King by the Colonists themselves or forced submission by English troops

• The Continental Army is established with George Washington made General.

• The Americans begin to debate their course of action: Submit or fight for Independence

Early Military Actions as Colonists Meet and Debate independence

• Patriot Troops storm and capture Fort Ticonderoga from the British in New Hampshire’s Green Mountains

• Patriot Troops take up a defensive position on a Hill overlooking Boston and Boston Harbor

• The Battle of Bunker Hill in Boston

– The British and Hessian mercenaries beat an outnumbered colonial resistance but suffered heavy losses and learned that the Colonist were formidable enemies

Battle of Bunker Hill: June 17, 1775

The Great Debate over Independence and War in the 2nd

Continental Congress

• Who was there

– Representatives from all 13 colonies

• John Hancock, Sam Adams, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin…

– Loyalists (Tories) were those colonists who wanted to remain loyal to England and the King

– Patriots were those who wanted to break away from England and be self-governing

The Influence of Thomas Paine’s Pamphlet: Common Sense

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/thomas-paine-common-sense-and-the-crisis.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-LGxOll2zc

June 1776: The Debating Ends and the Declaring Begins…

After a year of debate, discussion, prayer, and petition the debate comes to an end on June 7, 1776:

The Writing of the Declaration of Independence

• On June 11, 1776 Congress creates a committee of five men to draft a document declaring the Colonists’ intention to become an Independent nation

John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston

Presenting the Declaration to the Continental Congress

• On June 28, 1776 the Committee presents their document to the Congress for adoption

Editing, Debating and Adopting the Declaration

• The final debate for or against American Independence took place in the Continental Congress on July 1 and 2

• All 13 colonies needed to approve the motion to break from England for it to be adopted by Congress

• On July 2, Congress voted to declare independence

• The members began editing a final draft of the Declaration of Independence and shortened it by 25% from its original size

Declaring Independence

• On July 2 and 3, the members made their final edits of the Declaration of Independence

• On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was voted on and adopted by the Continental Congress. It was read in the Continental Congress and ordered to be immediately reproduced for distribution

Making Independence Known throughout America and England

• The first public reading was held outside Independence Hall on July 8.

• Copies were disseminated to all the colonies – and by July 9, 1776 the colonists all knew that they were no longer under the authority of England

• Copies were sent to England and turned Colonial resistance into Revolution, and the War of Independence