Ideas and Choosing Sides

Declaration of Independence

Choose Your SideLoyalist-those who remained loyal to the King and the British-often called Tories

Patriot-those who supported the move for independence-risked everything becasue they could be hung as traitors

Undecided-as many as a third of the colonists were undecided as to whether independence or remaining part of England was the best decision

What was at the core of this revolutionary

mov’t?• The The amounamount of taxation?t of taxation?• The The rightright of Parliament to tax? of Parliament to tax?• The political corruption of Britain and the virtue of The political corruption of Britain and the virtue of

America?America?• The right of a king to govern America?The right of a king to govern America?• The colonies’ growing sense of nat’l identity apart from The colonies’ growing sense of nat’l identity apart from

Britain?Britain?• Was the Revolution truly a radical overturning of gov’t Was the Revolution truly a radical overturning of gov’t

and society - the usual definition of a “revolution - or and society - the usual definition of a “revolution - or something far more limited or even “conservative” in its something far more limited or even “conservative” in its defense of traditional rights?defense of traditional rights?

How did it all happen?

•After Intolerable or Coercion Acts the colonies sent representatives to meet to decide what to do

•It was called the First Continental Congress

•They sent a petition asking for some relief. None came.... Parliment rejected them

What happened next?

•April 1775 Br. Commander in Boston April 1775 Br. Commander in Boston sent detachment of troops to nearby sent detachment of troops to nearby Lexington and ConcordLexington and Concord

• Shot heard around the worldShot heard around the world• British lost 1/3 of their armyBritish lost 1/3 of their army

Then?•Second Continental CongressSecond Continental Congress meets trying meets trying

to decide what to do next...to decide what to do next...•colonists wonder...should they take on the colonists wonder...should they take on the

biggest army, biggest superpower in the biggest army, biggest superpower in the world?world?

1. They draft G. Washington as head of army1. They draft G. Washington as head of army2. Va delegates there to balance hot-headed 2. Va delegates there to balance hot-headed

Mass. delegatesMass. delegates

Washington’s Headaches

Only 1/3 of the colonists were infavor of a war for independence [theother third were Loyalists, and thefinal third were neutral].

State/colony loyalties.

Congress couldn’t tax to raise moneyfor the ContinentalArmy.

Poor training [untilthe arrival ofBaron von Steuben.

Military StrengthsThe Americans

Attrition [theBrits had a longsupply line].

Guerilla tactics[fight aninsurgent war ‡you don’t haveto win a battle,just wear theBritish down]

Make analliance withone of Britain’senemies.

The BritishBreak thecolonies in halfby gettingbetween theNo. & the So.

Blockade theports to preventthe flow ofgoods andsupplies from anally.

“Divide andConquer” ‡ usethe Loyalists.

So?

•Second Continental CongressSecond Continental Congress tries one last tries one last time.time.

•They send the They send the Olive Branch PetitionOlive Branch Petition asking asking King George to ceaseKing George to cease

•He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE CRAZY!ARE CRAZY!

So?•He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE He says ABSOLUTELY NOT! COLONISTS ARE

CRAZY!CRAZY!•Thomas Paine writes Thomas Paine writes Common Sense Common Sense which which

becomes an immediate best seller and clearly states: becomes an immediate best seller and clearly states: now is the time!now is the time!

•Common sense said to completely rebel - Britain was Common sense said to completely rebel - Britain was smaller smaller than us!than us!

• Biblical language appealed to the massesBiblical language appealed to the masses

•Second Continental Congress decides to take Second Continental Congress decides to take another step.... a world altering stepanother step.... a world altering step

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

• Not just independence but whole new Not just independence but whole new republic republic -where power -where power comes from the people themselvescomes from the people themselves

• Radical revert to GreeceRadical revert to Greece• Traditional was “mixed gov’t”Traditional was “mixed gov’t”• This suggestion was heard b/cThis suggestion was heard b/c• Colonist experience in self - govt ex: New EnglandColonist experience in self - govt ex: New England• Experience in democratic town meetsExperience in democratic town meets• Committees of correspondence showed republican gov’t workingCommittees of correspondence showed republican gov’t working• No hereditary aristocracy in the coloniesNo hereditary aristocracy in the colonies

So?In reality a declaration of independence has In reality a declaration of independence has already been madealready been made

**Common Sense Common Sense swept the colonieswept the colonie*each state/colony had already been told by *each state/colony had already been told by

Congress to draft a new state constitutionCongress to draft a new state constitution*war had been raging for a year*war had been raging for a year

Second Continental Congress decides to take Second Continental Congress decides to take another step.... a world altering stepanother step.... a world altering step

Committee•A committee is appointed to draw up a A committee is appointed to draw up a

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence•Why?Why?

1. establish 1. establish legitimatelegitimate independence independence

why do that?why do that?

2. to appeal to other nations for money to fight 2. to appeal to other nations for money to fight the warthe war

the document becomes far more thatthe document becomes far more that

Why Pick Thomas Jefferson to write it?

1. He is a Virginian. They have years of experience in gov’t (House of Burgess) and seem less hot-headed than firebrands from Massachusettes2. He has a “felicity of language”3. People like him better than John Adams

Why Pick Thomas Jefferson to write it?1. He is a Virginian. They

have years of experience in gov’t (House of Burgess) and seem less hot-headed than firebrands from Massachusettes

2. He has a “felicity of language”

3. People like him better than John Adams

Declaration of Independence

Based on:John LockeJefferson’s Va Statue of Religious FreedomSummary View of the Rights of British America

Declaration of IndependenceThree parts

1. What this statement is2. Why we have to do it3. What we have to doIt is written as a formal arguement but

becomesthe single most important 35 words in the

English language

“It possesses the an elevated quality that linked American independence to great and grand forces that transcend the immediate

political crisis - focuses on a more pure principaled world”

Joseph Ellis American Sphinx

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. That to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.”

Political Poetry