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REVOLUTION

4.1 – Declaration of Independence

MAIN IDEA Tensions between the colonies and Great Britain led

to armed conflict and the colonies formally declared

their independence, forcing colonists to choose sides.

Nelson History Curriculum U.S. History through Reconstruction

NELSON HISTORY CURRICULUM 1

1 Revolution: Declaration of Independence 4.1

Learning Target: I can summarize key events of the American Revolution and describe key ideas

expressed by the Declaration of Independence.

Directions: Answer the questions below in your social studies notebook.

1. Summarize an act by the British that angered colonists.

2. Describe the colonists’ reaction to the act.

Directions: Answer the following question below.

1. You have two siblings who argue and disagree often. Your two siblings often try to get you

involved and now are going to never speak again. They demand you take one of their sides and

not speak to the other. What do you do? How do you determine whose side to take or do you

not take any side at all.

First Continental Congress – a gathering of colonial leaders who were deeply troubled about the

relationship between Great Britain and the colonies.

Patriots – colonists who chose to fight for independence from Great Britain.

Second Continental Congress – a second group of delegates from the colonies who made the first

attempt at a republican government for the colonies.

Common Sense – a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that argued citizens, not kings, should make laws.

Declaration of Independence – a document formally announcing the colonists break from Great Britain.

Loyalists – colonists who chose to side with the British.

Flashback

Preview

Vocabulary



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Directions: Re-create the graphic organizer below in your Social Studies Notebook to take notes as you

read.

Topic

Information

Summary:

By 1774, colonists had enough of Great Britain’s policies and all of the colonies, except Georgia, sent

representatives to the First Continental Congress. This group of leaders were deeply troubled about the

relationship between Great Britain and the colonies. Leaders remained locked in Carpenter’s Hall for

weeks, debating the issues. Some leaders thought violence was unavoidable while others were there

under orders to seek peace.

They delegates reached compromise and encouraged colonists to continue boycotting goods. They

drafted the Declaration of Rights, a list of 10 resolutions to be presented to King George III. Among these

rights were life, liberty, and property. The goal was not independence, but to correct the problems.

Delegates like Patrick Henry of Virginia, who spoke the famous words, “Give me liberty, or give me

death,” encouraged others to support the patriot cause. Patriots were colonists who chose to fight for

independence from Great Britain.

The Continental Congress intended to meet again in 1775, but things worsened in the colonies. Local

militias began preparing for action and Massachusetts governor Thomas Gage sent British troops to

locate a stockpile of weapons stored in Concord, about 20 miles from Boston.

Boston was full of spies who tipped off the Patriots’ to Gage’s plan. Sons of Liberty member Paul Revere

enlisted Robert Newman to display two lanterns if the British soldiers cross the Charles River. When

Revere saw the two lanterns, he and Patriot William Dawes set off on horseback sounding the alert.

Drums and church bells called out the local militia, or minutemen, who got their name because they

were ready to fight at a minute’s notice.

Lexington and Concord

The Rebellion Begins

As you read, take notes:



Fighting erupted between the minutemen and British soldiers April 19 in Lexington. The battle lasted

only a few minutes. With only one wounded soldier, the British marched on to Concord.

Another Rider, Samuel Prescott, warned the citizens of Concord and the weapons were hidden.

Frustrated by not finding weapons, a few British soldiers set fire to buildings, forcing the minutemen to

open fire. The British were forced to retreat to Boston, suffering many casualties on the way.

Second Continental Congress

King George III refused to address the concerns listed in the Declaration of Rights and in May 1775, the

delegates from the 12 colonies met in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress. They were far

from united, but this meeting represented the first attempt at a republican government for the colonies.

The delegates debated war and peace. They reached a compromise and sent word to colonial

authorities asking for new state constitutions. They also authorized the Massachusetts militia to become

the Continental Army, a force that would eventually include soldiers from all colonies and would fight

the British. George Washington was named commander of the army.

Congress continued to pursue peace, issuing the Olive Branch Petition, but King George refused to read

it.

Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights

As fighting broke out, Boston was a key city that both armies attempted to control. In desperate need of

weapons, Boston leaders sent Benedict Arnold and 400 men to attack the British at Fort Ticonderoga.

They captured the fort and its large supply of weapons.

At the same time, Patriots kept the British pinned down in Boston. The Colonial army dug in at Breed’s

Hill, overlooking Boston. About 2,400 British soldiers advanced across Boston Harbor to fight their way

up the hill. The Patriots had 1,600 militia members waiting, but they were poorly supplied. The British

soldiers attempted to climb the hill twice, but had to retreat each time. On the third attempt, the

colonists were out of ammunition and had to retreat. The battle became known as the Battle of Bunker

Hill, although it accord on Breed’s Hill. They lost, but the colonists proved they could take on the British.

When George Washington arrived in Boston, he ordered the cannons captured from Fort Ticonderoga to

be transported more than 300 miles over tough terrain in winter to Boston. Washington placed the

cannons and his army at Dorchester Heights, an area overlooking Boston from the South. When the

British commanders saw the Continental Army amassing on the hill, they were forced to retreat to

Canada, handing all of Boston over to the Patriots.

Formative Assessment:

Summarize the purposes of the First and Second Continental Congress and what each accomplished.

First Continental Congress:

Second Continental Congress:



In January of 1776, a 47-page pamphlet called Common Sense was distributed in Philadelphia. In it,

author Thomas Paine argued that citizens, not kings and queens, should make laws. This was a bold idea

considering at this time, monarchs ruled much of the world.

More than 500,000 copies were sold. Common Sense changed the way many colonists viewed their king.

It made a strong case for economic freedom and for the right to military self-defense. It also argued

against the abuse of government power.

Most agreed with Paine and in June 1776, the Second Continental Congress formed a committee to

write a document declaring the colonies’ independence.

The Declaration of Independence formally announced the colonies’ break from Great Britain. The

document expressed three main ideas. The author, Thomas Jefferson, argued that all people possess

unalienable rights, including the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Secondly, the Declaration argued that King George III had violated the colonists’ rights by taxing them

without their consent, passing unfair laws and interfering with colonial governments. Jefferson also

argued stationing a large British army within the colonies was a burden.

Third, Jefferson wrote that colonies had the right to break away from Great Britain. He argued that

governments and rulers must protect the rights of citizens. In exchange, the people agreed to be

governed. According to Jefferson, King George broke that contact. On July 4, 1776, the Continental

Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, breaking all ties with Great Britain and creating

the United States of America.

Anyone who supported the Declaration of Independence and the Rebellion would be considered

traitors. Those who supported the cause were known as Patriots. Those who chose to side with Great

Britain were loyalists. It is estimated that 40 to 45 percent of Americans were Patriots, while 20 to 30

percent were loyalists. The rest were nuetral.

Many loyalists, like Benjamin Franklin’s son, William, thought laws should be obeyed and that it was the

duty of government to make sure they were executed. Patriots like Benjamin Franklin thought


Explain how the pamphlet Common Sense influenced colonists to seek independence.

Summarize the three main ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence

Loyalists vs. Patriots



parlaiment had no right to make laws without the consent of colonists, particularly tax laws, considering

colonists had no representation in parlaiment.

Loyalists feared persecution by Patriots, so more than 50,000 loyalists fled the colonies. Most went to

Canada, where Britain allowed them more self-rule after the revolution. Divided allegiances tore families

apart, including Benjamin Franklin’s family. His son William, was a loyalist.

Both sides enouraged Native Americans to remain neutral at first, but quickly began recruiting Native

American fighters. Most sided with the British, including four of the six Iroquois nations, fearing

colonists expansion into their lands if they won. The Oneida and Tuscurora helped the Patriots, even

delivering food to the soliders at Valley Forge.

The Declaration of Independence states “all men are created equal,” but this statement excluded many

colonists. The Declaration did not address the rights of women, despite the attempts of Abigail Adams,

wife of John Adams, to include women’s rights in the Declaration. The Delegates did not agree with

Abigail Adams and the issue remained unresolved.

The Declaration did not recognize rights of enslaved Africans. The document compares life under British

rule to living as an enslaved people, but why did any form of slavery exist in a land that valued personal

freedom. In 1776, slavery was legal in all colonies, but by the 1780s, many New England colonies were

taking steps to end slavery. However, the conflict over slavery continued long after the war and would

be hotly debated when creating our Constitution.

Rights of Native Americans were not addressed. American colonists had been settling lands that

belonged to Native Americans and colonists would continue to disregard rights of Native Americans as

our nation developed and grew.


Infer why some remained loyal to Great Britain during the American Revolution.

Not “All” Included


Infer why the rights of women, African slaves, and Native Americans were not addressed in the

Declaration of Independence.



Directions: Answer the questions below.

1. Summarize the purpose of the First Continental Congress and what it accomplished.

2. Summarize the purpose of the Second Continental Congress and what it accomplished.

3. Summarize the argument made in the pamphlet Common Sense and explain how it influenced

colonists.

4. Summarize the three main ideas expressed by the Declaration of Independence.

5. Identify what a Patriot and loyalist believed and infer why they would choose to side with the

colonists or Great Britain.

6. Identify which groups were excluded from the Declaration of Independence and infer why the

founding fathers elected not to include them.

Persuasive Speech

Directions: You will pretend to be a delegate from one of the 12 colonies at the Second Continental

Congress. You are going to write a speech that you will deliver to Congress expressing your desire to

declare independence from Great Britain. Your speech will be 3 to 5 minutes in length and you may be

asked to deliver your speech to the class.

Speech Criteria

Intro catches readers’ attention and includes a clear thesis statement in support of

independence.

Body includes a clear understanding of three reasons to support independence, citing patriot

successes in battles and/or ideas expressed in Common Sense and The Declaration of

Independence. Includes a clear counter-argument to why a person should be a loyalist to Great

Britain.

Includes a clear conclusion that summarizes the thesis statement and argument.

Speech is neatly written or typed, with minimal grammatical and spelling errors.

If delivering speech to class, student speaks clearly, makes eye contact with audience, and varies

tone.

Review

Closure Activity



1. According to

the graphic to the

left, what

percentage of

colonists were

loyal to Great

Britain?

2. According to

the graphic to the

left, when and

where did the

Patriots force the

British to

surrender?

3. According to

the graphic

above, in what

colonial region

were most of the

battles of the

Revolutionary war

fought?

Analyzing Maps



1. An outcome of the First Continental Congress was,

a. The drafting of the Declaration of Rights

b. Asked the colonies for new constitutions

c. Authorized the Massachusetts militia to become the Continental Army

d. Named George Washington as Commander of the Continental Army

2. The Second Continental Congress,

a. Declared war with Great Britain

b. Argued that citizens, not kings, should make laws

c. Was the first attempt at a republican government in the colonies

d. Drafted the Declaration of Rights

3. Thomas Payne’s pamphlet, Common Sense, argued,

a. For independence from Great Britain

b. That citizens, not kings, should make laws

c. People possessed unalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

d. Colonists cannot be taxed without their consent

4. Summarize the three main ideas expressed by the Declaration of Independence.

5. Compare and Contrast views of a Patriot with that of a loyalist.

Section 4.1: Summative Assessment

Documents

Revolution - MR. NELSONnelsonhistoryclass.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/0/114064129/4.1... · NELSON HISTORY CURRICULUM 1 1 Revolution: ... enlisted Robert Newman to display two lanterns