Unit 3: America moving from colony to independent nation

Declaration of Independence

The Colonies on Their Own• Until the mid 1700 Great Britain had allowed

its colonies across the Atlantic to develop politically on their own. By the mid 1700’s things had begun to change dramatically as the British government felt a need to tighten its control over the colonies.

• Remember: The American colonists were still considered English subjects. And they owed allegiance to the monarch.

The Colonies on Their Own• Colonies were supposed to serve as a source

of raw materials and a market for British goods.

• Over time {since the settlement of Jamestown 1607}, the colonies had become accustomed to governing themselves

Britain Tightens Control The French and Indian War

• Two events changed everything between the colonies and England! – The first, French and Indian War 1754-1763 ~ this war

confirmed Britain’s hold on the colonies.• French and Indian War started as a struggle between the French

and British over American territory (Pennsylvania and Ohio). Britain won in 1763 and gained control over the eastern third of North America. • The end of the war and the defeat of France meant that the

American Colonists no longer needed the British to protect them against the French.• However, England (the British) were left with a huge war debt

and they expected the colonists to pay it back

Taxing the Colonists

• The second was, King George III (1760)– He was determined to have tighter control over the

American Colonies– To help pay for the war the king levied or raised

taxes on tea, sugar, glass, paper, and other products.– Began to control colonial trade in ways that

benefited Great Britain but not the colonies.

The Proclamation Line of 1763

• Colonist felt that England was attempting to control them

• England wants to avoid Indian trouble

• Colonies were angered over idea that they must pay for cost of war and British troops now

Salutary Neglect• British have left the

colonies alone• British try to enforce laws

and taxes after the French and Indian War without the consent of the colonies

• British do not understand colonists are used to representative government formed by themselves

• Colonies have formed own governments

• “Taxation without representation”, -colonists want to have a say in government through elected reps.

British Mercantilism

• System where England controls colonial trade and taxes– Colonies provided raw materials for Britain– If colonies received imports the goods had to

arrive on British Ships– Certain colonial goods were sold only to England,

but not to other countries

Navigation Acts 1650-1763

• Restricted colonial trade, manufacturing and shipping to other countries

• Colonists smuggle and disregard Acts

Sugar Act 1764

• Tax placed on sugar and molasses because colonists are British subjects

• Colonists protest and smuggle sugar and molasses

Quartering Act 1765

• Required colonies to provide British troops with quarters and supplies

• Colonial assemblies vote to refuse to supply British soldiers

Stamp Act 1765• Any item that was made

of paper required a stamped tax payment to be made: on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and even dice and playing cards.

• Colonists argue “taxation with representation”, Stamp Act is repealed

Townshend Acts 1767

• Tax on glass, lead, paper, paint and tea

• Colonists smuggle goods, boycott British goods, and fight with British troops

Tea Act 1773

• Tax on tea, it is a plan to bail out East India Tea company through tax on tea

• Boston Tea Party and smuggling of tea

Intolerable Acts 1774

• Response to Tea Party, assembly and town meetings dissolved, port of Boston closed,and British tried in England

• Militias form, colonies send representatives to 1st Continental Congress meets and starts colonial boycott

First Continental Congress• A new sense of community prompted 12

colonies (Georgia didn’t go) to send delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1774.

• The delegates agreed to prohibit trade with Great Britain and to meet again in May 1775.

• By the time the second Continental Congress met, the first battles of the Revolutionary War had been fought.

• As the Congress met and worked, the independence movement was growing rapidly!

• A brilliant pamphlet titled Common Sense written by Thomas Paine influenced many colonists.

• Paine argued that monarchy was a corrupt, evil form of government and that George III was an enemy to liberty.

• The other huge influence was Samuel Adams. And not for his beer!

• Adams asked “Is not America already independent? Why not then declare it?”

The Declaration of Independence

• As hostilities escalated, an independence movement took root, and on July 4, 1776, the delegates approved the Declaration of Independence drafted by Thomas Jefferson.

The Declaration of Independence• The Declaration Broken down:– The preamble includes a statement of purpose

and a description of basic human rights.– Philosophy: Colonist’s description of basic human

rights– The main body lists 27 grievances – specific ways

in which the colonists believed that the king had violated their political liberties.

– The conclusion states the colonists’ willpower to separate from Great Britain.

The Declaration of Independence• The Declaration of Independence recognized the

changes that took place in the colonies. • One of the most important changes was the

transformation of the colonies into states with no other higher authority.

• Delegates to the Continental Congress signed the Delectation of Independence as representatives of individual states.

• Each state drafted its own constitution recognizing the people as the source of government and limiting government powers.

• Most of the new constitutions contained bills of rights.

Several American leaders helped write the Declaration of Independence, like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin…

But the final job was done by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from their wounds or other hardships of war

Here are some of the Declaration’s most important words and ideas…

Americans believed that they should be treated equally…

“We hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all men

are created equal …”

Americans believe we all have rights to be free…

The right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

These basic rights are unalienable

“…that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”

Americans also believe that governments should protect our freedoms (our rights.)

“…That to secure these rights,

Governments are instituted among Men,”

Americans believe that …

We have the POWER!

“…deriving their just powers

from the consent of the governed.”

So what happened after the colonies declared their independence?

The colonists had to fight a war to win their independence!

Since then, other countries have read our

Declaration of Independence to make their own

governments protect their freedoms!

Let’s recite the Declaration of Independence together!

“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.”

“…That to secure these rights,

Governments are instituted among Men,”

“…deriving their just powers

from the consent of the governed.”