Chapter 5 Section 4 Pages 147-151

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Chapter 5 Section 4 Pages 147-151

• Objectives Students will be able to examine why
  the Declaration of Independence was written and
  what was involved.

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• I. Colonial Leaders Emerge
• A. The Second Continental Congress assembled
  the first time on May 10, 1775.
• However, it would more than a year before the
  delegates would draft a document declaring
  independence from Britain.
• B. The 2nd Continental Congress included some
  of greatest political leaders of the time. John
  and Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry
  Lee, George Washington, Ben Franklin, John
  Hancock, Thomas Jefferson were but a few.

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• C. The 2nd Continental Congress established
• 1. Authorization to print money.
• 2. Set up a Post office.
• 3. Establish a committee to talk to the
  Native Americans.
• 4. Most important set up an Army.
• With George Washington as the Commander in
  Chief.

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• D. Before the Declaration of Independence
  Congress sent Britain a final petition, or formal
  request called the Olive Branch Petition
• 1. First it asked for peace.
• 2. It asked for protection of their rights as
  Englishmen.
• This caused King George III to hire 30,000
  German troops to fight beside the British Troops
  and they prepared for war.

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• I. a. The Colonies Take the Offensive
• A. The British were preparing to attack New
  York from Canada, however the American
  Continental Army hit first at Quebec lead by
  Benedict Arnold they lost.
• B. G. Washington reached Boston soon after the
  Battle of Bunker Hill and trained the Army to
  fight. When they were ready he attacked the
  redcoats commanded by Sir William Howe in Boston
  and they ran to their ships and sailed up to
  Halifax Nova Scotia.

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• b. Moving Toward Independence
• A. Thomas Paine published a pamphlet that
  captured the attention of most American colonist.
  He called for complete independence in bold
  language. His pamphlet was called Common Sense.
• B. This inspired thousands Americas in the
  cause for independence.

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• II. a. The Colonies Declare Independence
• A. The Colonist debated their decision to
  declare independence, or to stay British, under
  British rule.
• B. While this debate went on a committee of
  delegates wrote a document called The Declaration
  of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was selected to
  write this document.

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• C. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.
• First to officially state that the colonies
  ought to be free and independent.
• D. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the
  Declaration of Independence. He took ideas from
  John Locke (English philosopher) Congress
  approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776.
• E. John Hancock signed it first really big so
  King George could see it without his glasses.
  (56 delegates signed it.)

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• II. a. The Colonies Declare Independence
• A. Four Major Sections make up the document.
• 1st The Preamble An introduction that the
  people wish to form a new country.
• 2nd and 3rd list the rights, the colonist
  believe they should have and list the complaints
  against Britain.
• 4th proclaims the existence of the new nation.

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• A. The Preamble states what many Americas
  thought were universal principles. We hold these
  truths to be self-evident that all men are
  created equal, that they are endowed by the
  Creator with certain unalienable rights, that
  among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
  happiness.
• B. It declares that government exists to protect
  their rights, and if it does not then, it is the
  Right of the People to alter or to abolish it and
  to institute new government.

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• C. Sections 2 3 states the crimes of King
  George cutting off trade with all parts of the
  world, and imposing taxes on us without our
  consent, and ignoring our petitions to fix our
  grievances.
• D. It ends with Americas new status. Now
  pledging, to each other, our Lives, our
  Fortunes, and our scared Honor, as America
  declares themselves a new nation. So, begins the
  American Revolution.