Declaring Independence:

Chapter 4 Section 2:

I) WAR BEGINS:

1) Minutemen:

• C. expected fighting to start in New England. • C. formed militias• Began training, making bullets and gathering

rifles and muskets.

Militias: Groups of citizen soldiers

2) Lexington and Concord:

• B. marched to Concord, where the C. were storing their guns. – Wanted to destroy them.

• Alerting the C.:• Paul Revere rode to Lexington to warn the C.

that the B. were coming.

Paul Revere's Midnight Run:

2) Lexington and Concord:

• 700 redcoats v. 70 minutemen in Lexington• 8 minutemen died, the rest ran away• B. reached Concord• C. had already moved most of the weapons

out of Concord• B. headed back to Boston

Lexington and Concord:

3) Second Continental Congress:

• May 1775• Leaders weren’t ready to call for

independence. • Set up the Continental Army under the

Command of George Washington. • In response the B. sent more troops

The Second Continental Congress:

II) PATRIOTS V. LOYALISTS

1) Patriots:

• C. who support the rebels• See worksheet

2) Loyalists:

• C. who support the B.• See worksheet

III) DECLARING INDEPENDENCE

1) Common Sense:

1) Common Sense:

• A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine

• Called for complete independence from B.

2) The Declaration of Independence:

• The Second Continental Congress ordered that Thomas Jefferson write a draft

• Approved on July 4th 1776• Stated:– “All men are created equal”– Humans have certain “unalienable rights” • Natural rights

– Not the reality at that time for the US

Homework:

• Quiz on Monday!• Projects will be presented on Monday• Friday (tomorrow) more notes!