THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
The Intolerable Acts 1774
Laws to punish the Massachusetts colony and serve warning to others
England called them Coercive Acts Closed the port of Boston until destroyed
tea paid for Banned Committees of Correspondence Allowed troops to house wherever
necessary British Officials to stand trial in England General Thomas Gage appointed
Governor of MA
Reactions to Intolerable Acts
Colonies offered support Sent food and money to Boston
Committees of Correspondence called for a meeting of colonial delegates
First Continental CongressSeptember 1774
Delegates from colonies (except GA) met in Philadelphia
Voted to ban all trade with Britain until Intolerable Acts are repealed
Called on each colony to begin training troops
Determined to uphold colonial rights Not ready to call for independence Agreed to meet in 7 months, if necessary
England’s Reaction to Colonists
Held firm, not going to give in this time Increased restrictions on colonial trade Sent more troops
Colonists prepare to fightFall 1774
John Hancock headed Committee of Safety (power to call out militia)
Colonial Leaders thought fight would be short
The Midnight Ride
Spies were on both sides Gage learned that MA was storing arms
and ammunition in Concord, 20 miles NW of Boston
Gage learned that Sam Adams and John Hancock were in Lexington
April 18, 1775 ordered the arrest of Adams and Hancock in Lexington and to destroy supplies in Concord
The Midnight Ride
Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott were charged with spreading the news about British troop movements
System of signals to alert colonists: One lamp burned in the Old North Church
steeple= by land Two lamps burned in the Old North Church
steeple= by sea Revere would cross the water from Boston to
Charlestown and ride to Lexington, Dawes and Prescott the land route
The Shot Heard ‘Round the World
Dawn April 19, 1774: 700 British troops reach Lexington
Captain John Parker and 70 Militiamen stand waiting
Who fired first? 8 militia men were dead
British continue march to Concord and destroy military supplies
First Battle
4,000 Minutemen and Militia arrive Fight British at a bridge, north of town, forcing
British to retreat!• Militia lined the road and peppered the
retreating British• However 1,000 more redcoats arrive and
saved British from total destruction in their scramble back to Boston
• 20,000 militia then surround Boston
Second Continental CongressMay 10, 1775
• Agree to form a Continental Army• Appoints George Washington as
commandeering General• Authorizes the printing of paper money to
pay troops
Battle of Bunker Hill
June 1775, Militia seize Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill, behind Charlestown
Colonials built fortifications on the hill British General Howe marches troops up
to seize the Hill. Colonial Colonel Thomas Prescott orders
“Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes”
Militia unleashed bullets on the British
Battle of Bunker Hill
British fell back, then charged again. The colonial militia were forced off the hill 1,000 British dead, 400 militia dead
Olive Branch Petition
Still hoping for a peaceful solution July 1775, sent a petition to King
George III asking for a restoration of harmony
King George rejects the petition Blocks American ships from leaving ports Sends thousands of Hessians (Germans)
to fight
Continental Army
Troops had little training Poorly equipped Barely had enough gunpowder for one
battle Summer 1775, Washington arrives at
camp Gathered supplies Trained army
Boston, 1776
Boston is surrounded by militia
59 Cannons arrive from Ft Ticonderoga
Washington threatens to bomb the city
British General Howe withdraws in March 1776
Loyalists homes and properties seized
Common Sense Pamphlet Written by Thomas Paine Helped to convince
Americans that a break with England was a necessity
Made a strong case for independence
Called King George III “The Royal Brute”
Argued that all monarchies were corrupt
Disagreed with economic arguments for remaining with England
Independence Majority of Continental Congress did
not support independence. May 1776, adopted a resolution
authorizing each of the colonies to establish own government
June 1776, Richard Henry Lee of VA called the colonies “free and independent states” and that they dissolve from England
Declaration of Independence
After a debate, Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration
Chosen because he was from VA and a good writer Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert
Livingston helped also July 2, 1776 Congress debated again July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence passed Colonies now considered themselves independent. John Hancock first to sign (he was president of
Congress)
Declaration of Independence
People have unalienable rights (rights that the government cannot take away) If a government disregards these rights, it
loses its right to govern The people then have the right to abolish that
government by force if necessary and form a new government
“the people” were only free white men, not women or slaves
Declaration of Independence
Declared the colonies free and independent states
John Hancock urged the delegates to stand together in a mutual defense
King George considered this treason Each knew if they lost the war, each
would be hanged.