Chapter 2, Section 2

THE BIRTH OF A DEMOCRATIC NATION

First Continental Congress:

Met in Philadelphia, PAMet in September 177455 Delegates were presentGeorgia was the only colony to not

send a representative

First Continental Congress:

RESULTS?

Sent King George III of England a document demanding the rights of colonist be restore

Second Continental Congress:

Met in Philadelphia, PAMet in May 1775Debated over whether to remain loyal to

the king or declare their independenceThomas Paine wrote “Common Sense”

in January 1776 which supported complete independence from Britain

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

It was ridiculous for an island to rule a continent.

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

American was not a “British nation”; it was composed of influences and peoples from all of Europe

REFER TO Section 3 of Chapter 1 located on pages 19 – 23.

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

Even if Britain was the “mother country” of American, that made her actions all the more horrendous, for no mother would harm her children so brutally.

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

Being a part of Britain would drag America into unnecessary European wars, and keep it from the international commerce at which America has excelled.

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

The distance between the two nations made the governing of the colonies from England unwieldy. If some wrong were to be petitioned to the Parliament, it would take a year before the colonies would receive a response.

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

Britain ruled the colonies for its own benefit, and did not consider the best interests of the colonists in governing them.

Common Sense Arguments Against British Rule

The New World was discovered shortly after the Reformation. The Puritans believed that God wanted to give them a safe haven from the persecution of British rule.

Second Continental Congress:

RESULTS?

Colonist decided to write the Declaration of Independence – which was approved on July 4, 1776

The Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson did most of the draft

King George III was referred to as a “tyrant . . . Unfit to be the Rule of a free People.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYyttEu_NLU

VIDEO ON DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The idea that all people were created equal came from the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The idea that people had certain natural rights (such as life liberty, and property*) came from the English philosopher John Locke

*Note that Locke said property but we changed it to pursuit of happiness!