Civil WarHistoric Sites

Gettysburg

The English Colonies in “New England”

The PILGRIMS established the first colony at Plymouth, followed by

the PURITANS at Massachusetts Bay. Later,

colonies in New Hampshire, Rhode Island

and Connecticut were founded. Some farming

was done, but trading w as a major source of income.

The Middle Colonies •The Middle Colonies

included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

•The land was more suitable to farming than New England, but trade was also important to the economy.

The Southern Colonies

•The Southern Colonies included Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

•Their economy was based primarily on agriculture and used slavery.

3 Major Reasons for Migration to America

•To seek out wealth and treasure.•To claim land they felt was readily available.•To escape political and religious discrimination at home.

By 1732, the English had

established 13 colonies along

the Atlantic Seaboard.

Spain, France, and Britain All Wanted to Control North America

Beginnings of Conflict

Three times between 1689 and 1748, Britain and France had fought for power in both Europe and North

America. Each time the war had ended in an uneasy peace. By the 1750’s war was about to break out

again.

The very bitter

“French and Indian War” ended

with the British

taking over France’s in

colonies and claims

North America.

North America

as it looked

in 1763.

Britain told settlers not to move west across the

Appalachian Mountains, but many already

had. Britain was trying to avoid further conflict

with Native Americans.

The French and Indian War had also been very costly to fight.

Many in the British government felt that the American colonists should help pay for the cost of the war.

After leaving the colonies mostly alone for 150 years, Britain started to take much more control over them.

Various taxes were imposed.

Colonists understood that taxes are needed, but what bothered them the most, was TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.

After several conflicts, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, more violence was about to explode.

The Shot Heard ‘Round the World

In Massachusetts, newspapers called on citizens to protect American liberty.“MINUTEMEN” were volunteers who were ready to fight on short notice.

More and more troops arrived in Boston.

In early 1775, the British heard that in the village of Concord, weapons were being stored.

Concord, Massachusetts

as it looks today.

On the night of April 18, about 700 troops left Boston to head toward Concord. The Sons of Liberty were watching, and were warned by two lanterns hanging from the Old North Church that the British were moving toward Concord by water — “One if by land, two if by sea.”

Riders were sent out to warn the people of Concord. One of them, Paul Revere, shouted “The Redcoats are coming!”

The Old North Church was once the tallest building in Boston.

The next morning, just a few miles from Concord at a small village called

Lexington, the British met up with about 70 Minutemen. They ordered them to

leave, but they didn’t. Suddenly, a shot, that no one knows for sure who fired, went off. In the ensuing brief

skirmish, 8 colonists died.

“The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”

April 19, 1775 – Patriots’ Day

Lexington Green

Lexington Green

The British found very little in Concord, but what they did find, was torched. Some

Minutemen thought the town was on fire. Just outside town, the Redcoats clashed with about 300 Minutemen, starting at a place called the Old North Bridge. The whole rest of the day, the British were

chased back to Boston. 73 of them were killed, and 200 were wounded or were missing. Many wondered what would

happen next.

The Old North Bridge near Concord

The Battle of Bunker HillJune of 1775 Despite losing

this battle, the Americans, led

by George Washington, were able to

eventually drive the British out

of Boston. Some

Americans still thought we should seek

peace with the British.

Common Sense

In January of 1776, a pamphlet called “Common Sense” appeared on the streets of

Philadelphia. “I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common

sense,” said its author, a man named Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine’s “plain arguments” boldly urged the colonies to declare their independence from Britain.

Thomas Paine’s pamphlet,

“COMMON SENSE” had a

great effect on the American people.

The Fateful Step

Common Sense also affected many members of the Continental Congress.

Many felt it was time to declare independence from Great Britain.

Delegates faced a difficult decision. There would be no turning back if they declared independence. If they were caught by the British, they would be hanged as traitors.

Writing the Declaration of Independence

• The congress chose a committee to create a declaration of independence. The committee included: John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman.

• Their job was to tell the world why they were breaking away from Great Britain.

• Thomas Jefferson was actually chosen to write the document. He finished it in late June of 1776.

Thomas Jefferson, at age 33, was

the main author of the

Declaration of Independence.

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted that the 13 colonies should be “free and independent states.” Two days later

on July 4, the delegates accepted the official Declaration of Independence, and

ever since, Americans have celebrated the 4th of July as INDEPENDENCE DAY.

What is in the Declaration of Independence?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

The Declaration of Independence contains 3 specific parts.

#1 - Basic Rights• How do people protect their basic rights?• The Declaration says governments can

exist only if they have the permission of the people.

• If a government takes away its citizen’s rights, then it is the peoples’ “right and duty to throw off such government, and provide new guards for their future security”.

#2 - British Wrongs• The Declaration also lists the bad things

the British had done.• Jefferson documented how King George

III had abused his power.• The king was condemned for disbanding

colonial legislatures and sending troops to the colonies in times of peace.

• Other wrongs were also listed.

#3 - An Independent Nation

• The last part of the Declaration of Independence announces that the colonies have become “the United States of America”.

• All official ties with Britain are cut.• As a free and independent nation, the

United States could make alliances and trade with other countries.

Choosing Sides• Just because we had declared our

independence didn’t automatically mean we had it. IT HAD TO BE EARNED!!!

• People now had to choose which side to be on.

• PATRIOTS -- People who supported independence.

• LOYALISTS -- People who remained loyal to Britain.

• The country was pretty evenly split.• About 1/3 were patriots, 1/3 were

loyalists, and 1/3 were in the middle.• New England had the greatest number of

patriots.• The Middle Colonies and the South had

higher numbers of Loyalists.• Many Loyalists were forced to flee to

Canada or England, and many lost their homes, stores, and farms.

The Middle States of

New York, New Jersey,

and Pennsylvania were host to several key

battles of the Revolution.

Fortunately, the British strategy of cutting off New England from the rest of the country

was thwarted.

It was the American victory at Saratoga

that convinced France to

aid the Americans.

In 1780 and 1781, the British focused on the South, which had a higher number of

Loyalists. Both sides, saw

successes, and by October

1781, a large British army

found itself in Yorktown, Virginia.

The British army under General Cornwallis was surrounded on

land and sea by a combined force of the Americans

and French. They had no choice but to surrender.

Americans, with French help, were victorious over the British at the Battle of Yorktown.

Making Peace• Americans rejoiced, while the British were

stunned.• Peace talks began in Paris in 1782.• Britain was ready to end the war, so the

Americans got most of what they wanted.• Our borders now went from the Atlantic to the

Mississippi River, and from Florida to Canada.

• It had been 8 long years since Lexington and Concord!

In 1783, the borders of the United States extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from

British-controlled Canada to Spanish-controlled Florida.

George Washington’s

Farewell

The Revolution had been a long and difficult struggle for Americans. They had fought a

more-powerful nation with better-armed and better-trained soldiers. Money, arms, and

soldiers from France helped win the war, but the strength and courage of men like Washington played a major role in the American victory.