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Voted to ban all trade with Britain until Intolerable Acts are repealed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.