The ColoniesThe Colonies

Unite!Unite!

To fight or not to fight?To fight or not to fight?

That was the question.That was the question.

Loyalist or Loyalist or Patriot?Patriot?

Many of the colonists weren’t sure Many of the colonists weren’t sure how to react to the taxation how to react to the taxation policies. Some were policies. Some were self-self-determineddetermined and wanted more voice and wanted more voice in the government.in the government.

Should they be loyal to the king Should they be loyal to the king (Loyalist),(Loyalist), or should they support an or should they support an independence movement independence movement (Patriot)?(Patriot)?

The Patriots UniteThe Patriots UniteIn 1775 In 1775 delegates from delegates from the colonies met the colonies met in Philadelphia in Philadelphia to discuss the to discuss the situation.situation.

John John AdamsAdams

George George WashingtonWashington

Thomas Thomas JeffersonJefferson

Their meeting Their meeting was called The was called The First Continental First Continental Congress.Congress.

They voted to: They voted to:

•ban all trade ban all trade with Britain until with Britain until the Intolerable the Intolerable Acts were Acts were repealedrepealed

•create colonial create colonial militias militias

•to meet again to meet again in seven in seven months. months.

Many of the Many of the delegates delegates wanted to wanted to remain loyal, but remain loyal, but they still hated they still hated tyranny.tyranny.

First Continental First Continental CongressCongress

Colonial Colonial MilitiasMilitias

The Patriots The Patriots were prepared were prepared and ready to and ready to fight at a fight at a moment’s moment’s notice. notice.

They were They were called the called the MinutemenMinutemen..

The Voice of a The Voice of a PatriotPatriot

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry urged the urged the colonists to colonists to unite.unite.

““I know not I know not what course what course others may others may take. But as for take. But as for me, give me me, give me liberty or give liberty or give me death!”me death!”

Patriot: “The colonies have Patriot: “The colonies have flourished (grown), and we don’t flourished (grown), and we don’t need a mother any more. We would need a mother any more. We would be better off if we made our own be better off if we made our own decisions.”decisions.”

Arguments of Arguments of Loyalists and PatriotsLoyalists and Patriots

Loyalist: “Britain is our mother Loyalist: “Britain is our mother country. She protects us and our country. She protects us and our trade.”trade.”

Loyalist: “The colonists would lose a Loyalist: “The colonists would lose a possible war and are greatly possible war and are greatly outnumbered.”outnumbered.”

Patriot: “We are determined to fight Patriot: “We are determined to fight for our rights. It’s only common sense for our rights. It’s only common sense that we should form a new country.that we should form a new country.””

Arguments of Arguments of Loyalists and Loyalists and

PatriotsPatriots

The Shot Heard ‘Round The Shot Heard ‘Round the Worldthe World

In April 1775, In April 1775, British troops British troops marched on marched on Lexington and Lexington and Concord near Concord near Boston.Boston.

The Minutemen The Minutemen were waiting in were waiting in Lexington, and Lexington, and shots were fired.shots were fired.

The Shot Heard ‘Round The Shot Heard ‘Round the Worldthe World

In Concord the In Concord the British were forced British were forced to retreat, and the to retreat, and the Revolution had Revolution had begun!begun!

Second Continental Second Continental CongressCongress

They created a They created a Colonial Army and Colonial Army and made George made George Washington the Washington the commanding commanding general.general.

George George WashingtonWashington

Quickly, the Quickly, the delegates met delegates met again in again in Philadelphia. Philadelphia.

Second Continental CongressSecond Continental Congress

At first, they still At first, they still hoped for peace, hoped for peace, wrote the Olive wrote the Olive Branch Petition, Branch Petition, and sent it to King and sent it to King George III.George III.

He rejected it and He rejected it and decided to decided to blockade American blockade American ports.ports.

A Royal A Royal “Paine”“Paine”

As the delegates As the delegates continued to continued to meet, Thomas meet, Thomas Paine wrote a Paine wrote a pamphlet that pamphlet that questioned royal questioned royal authority and authority and called for called for independence.independence.

It was called It was called Common SenseCommon Sense andand sold more than 120,000 sold more than 120,000 copies.copies.

Common Common SenseSense

““O ye that love mankind! O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose not Ye that dare oppose not only the tyranny but the only the tyranny but the tyrant, stand forth…”tyrant, stand forth…”

““Nothing but Nothing but independence… can keep the independence… can keep the peace of the continent… A peace of the continent… A government of our own is government of our own is our natural right…”our natural right…”

Second Continental CongressSecond Continental CongressBy June of 1776, By June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was writing a was writing a Declaration of Declaration of Independence.Independence.

After much After much debate, it was debate, it was finally approved finally approved and signed on and signed on July 4, 1776. July 4, 1776.

Votaries of Votaries of IndependenceIndependence

Artist: John Artist: John TrumbullTrumbull

Library of CongressLibrary of Congress

Strong Strong supporters; supporters; advocatesadvocatesTheme of Theme of painting=painting=

freedom, unityfreedom, unity

Left to right: John Left to right: John Adams, Roger Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Sherman, Robert Livingston, Thomas Livingston, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Jefferson, Benjamin FranklinFranklin

The Committee of The Committee of WritersWriters

Jefferson and Jefferson and FranklinFranklin

““When in the Course of human events it When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitled them, a decent respect to the entitled them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”them to the separation.”

ExcerpExcerptt

Rephrased Rephrased ExcerptExcerptThere are times There are times

when people when people should break should break away from their away from their government.government.

XXIt’s important It’s important to tell all to tell all people of the people of the world the world the reasons for the reasons for the break-up.break-up.

Here’s whyHere’s why

Self-Self-DeterminationDetermination

They were They were dedicated to their dedicated to their cause, firm in their cause, firm in their belief, self-belief, self-sacrificing, and sacrificing, and refused to give up!refused to give up!

These Patriots These Patriots wanted wanted political and political and economic economic change.change.

Self-Self-determinationdetermination

American American RevolutionRevolution

The Colonies The Colonies Unite!Unite!