The Declaration of Independence

1. The Declaration of Independence Chapter 6

2. War Begins • George Washington and the Continental Army • 1. John Adams proposed a “Continental Army” made up of troops from all colonies • George Washington of Virginia elected as Commander-in-Chief of the “Continental Army”

4. War Begins • The Battle of Bunker Hill • 1. Started when Minutemen erected small fort atop Breed’s Hill in Boston • 2. Worried British General Howe ordered immediate attack • a. Marched 2,000 soldiers up hill • b. Minutemen ordered not to fire until they “saw the whites of their eyes” • c. Caught off guard, British regrouped and attacked again • d. British took hill on 3rd attack after Americans used up gunpowder • e. Misnamed Battle of Bunker Hill – killed 1,000 British and 500 Americans

6. Siege of Boston • Ticonderoga • 1. Washington learned army had only 36 barrels of gunpowder • a. Deceived British by writing false letter claiming to have 1,800 barrels • b. Begged the colonies for more gunpowder • 2. Sent Henry Knox to Fort Ticonderoga for larger artillery • a. Loaded 59 cannons onto sled and dragged them 300 miles to Boston • b. Another 42 sleds carried 2,300 lbs of lead for bullets

7. Fort Ticonderoga

8. Artillery Transport from Fort Ticonderoga

9. Siege of Boston • British Abandon Boston • 1. March 4, 1776 – British awoke to cannons aimed at city • 2. British abandoned – 100+ ships left harbor and headed to Canada carrying 9,000 troops and 1,100 Loyalists

10. Toward Independence • Olive Branch Petition • 1. July 1775 – Congress sent petition to king asking him to end quarrel • 2. By time petition reached King George, he declared Colonies to be in “Open and avowed rebellion”

11. Toward Independence • Common Sense (by Thomas Paine, 1776) • A Pamphlet that mocked the idea that Americans owed any loyalty to king • Attacked argument that colonies’ties to Britain benefited Americans • 3. Persuaded Americans that independence was sensible and the “key to a brighter future”

13. “We must all hang together. Or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” - Benjamin Franklin

14. Thomas Jefferson Drafts a Declaration • Committee Appointed • 1. To write formal declaration of independence explaining why the colonies chose to separate from Britain • Natural Rights • 1. All people born equal in God’s sight and are entitled to same basic rights • 2. Governments formed to secure those rights with the power to rule coming from the governed • 3. Failure to protect rights = new government • King’s Crimes • 1. King’s policies established tyranny over colonies • 2. Long list of king’s abuses – unfit to be a ruler of free people

15. Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin John Adams

16. The Final Break • Second Continental Congress • 1. Philadelphia, July 1, 1776 Met to debate independence • Debate Over Slavery • 1. Most delegates liked Jefferson’s declaration except for passage on slavery • a. Southerners feared it might lead to demands to • free the slaves • b. Northerners worried that New England merchants • who profited from slave trade might be offended • c. Even those who opposed slavery felt it wrong to • blame king for enslaving Africans • Independence Day • 1. Final version approved on July 4 • 2. Pledged to support independence with their lives, fortunes and honor • 3. Act of treason against Britain and failure = hanging

17. “We must all hang together. Or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” - Benjamin Franklin

18. Signing the Declaration of Independence