A Meeting in Philadelphia September 1774 the

Continental Congress- 55 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to set up a political body that would represent Americans and challenge British control.

Every colony EXCEPT for Georgia sent representatives.

Samuel and John Adams, John Jay, George Washington, Richard Henry Lee and Patrick Henry

In the eyes of King George and British Parliament, this meeting was an act of Sedition. In other words, treason, which was punishable with death by hanging.

“ The distinctions between

Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders

are no more. I am not a Virginian, but

an American.”

-Patrick Henry

The delegates discussed complaints against the British and wrote a statement of grievances.

They voted to boycott British trade. In a statement of grievances, the

delegates called for the repeal of 13 acts of Parliament. They believed these laws violated the "laws of nature, the principles of the English constitution, and the several charters" of the colonies.

Suffolk Resolves- Originally prepared by the people of Suffolk county Massachusetts (Boston is a part of Suffolk County).

These resolutions declared the Coercive Acts to be illegal.

These resolutions also warned Colonies to organize militias—groups of citizen soldiers to arm themselves against the British. Each member was required to provide his own weapon. (A musket)

Minutemen- Militias that boasted they would be ready to fight at a minute's notice.

By April 1775, several thousand British troops were in and around Boston

King George told Parliament that the New England Colonies were "in a state of rebellion" and that "blows must decide" who would control America.

British general Thomas Gage ordered 700 troops under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith to Concord, to seize and destroy all the artillery and ammunition of the colonists.

They were also looking

to arrest John Hancock and

Samuel Adams

On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to Lexington, a town east of Concord, to spread the word that the British were coming.

A British patrol later captured Dawes and Revere.

Prescott continued the warning As the redcoats approached Lexington they

ran into about 70 waiting minutemen.

Captain John Parker led the minutemen and was badly outnumbered. They were about to let the redcoats through when a shot was fired and both sides let loose an exchange of bullets.

When the shooting ended, eight minutemen lay dead.

“Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

-Captain John Parker

The British continued on to Concord, and all along the road colonists hid behind trees and fired on the soldiers.

By the time the redcoats reached Boston, at least 174 were wounded and 73 were dead.

60 years later, a poet named Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem named, The Concord Hymn. In it, he penned one of the most famous quotes of the Revolutionary war; the Americans at Lexington and Concord had fired the "shot heard 'round the world."

Why did Emerson say “heard round the world”?

The battle for independence had begun.

Stop Here

Fort Ticonderoga near Lake Champlain in New York was rich with military supplies.

Benedict Arnold (and 400 men) along with Ethan Allen and Allen's men—the Green Mountain Boys took the British by surprise.

Fort Ticonderoga surrendered on May 10, 1775.

Discovery Education Video: The Revolutionary War: An Army of Amateurs- Benedict Arnold and Fort Ticonderoga

Later, Arnold became a traitor to the Patriot cause.

Traito

r

On June 16, 1775, militia commanded by Colonel William Prescott set up posts on Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, across the harbor from Boston.

Even though they put up a fight the Americans ran out of gunpowder and had to withdraw.

The battle on Breed's Hill became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill was a British victory.

Discovery Education Video: The Revolutionary War- The Battle of Bunker Hill

Low on ammunition,

Prescott reportedly

ordered, "Don't fire until you

see the whites of their eyes."

Choosing Sides

Loyalists- Did not think unfair taxes and laws justified a rebellion (sided with British).

Patriots- Believed that the colonists should have the right to govern themselves (supported the war). The American Revolution was not just a war between America and Britain. It was also a civil war—Patriots against Loyalists.

Political differences divided communities and even split families. Benjamin Franklin's son, William, served as Royal Governor of New Jersey. When the Revolution began, William remained loyal to Britain and quarreled with his father never again to repair their relationship.

Form Your Row-

Groups

Pyramid Foldable: The first Battles of the Revolutionary War

Work on a Pyramid Foldable in your Row-Groups (each student will create his/her own):

Each side must include the important people of the Battle:

John Parker, Paul Revere, Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen, Green Mountain Boys, and William Prescott

The sequence of significant events that occurred in the course of battle (beginning to end)

Who started the battle, who had an advantage, the importance or purpose of the battle, etc.

The words Loyalist and Patriot must be somewhere on your pyramid.

1. Battle of Lexington and Concord

2. Fort Ticonderoga

3. Battle of Bunkers Hill (Breed’s Hill)

4. Map of Battles at Lexington and Concord (on the back side of the pyramid foldable)

Dec. 17 (B Day)- Due at the end of class

Dec. 18 (A Day)- 25 minutes class time to work, anything not completed will be due in next class.

Declaring Independence In 1774 the First Continental Congress agreed to meet again if the British

failed to address their complaints.

The Second Continental Congress met on May 10, 1775.

Many of the delegates from the First Continental Congress returned and some new delegates also joined them:

John Hancock of Massachusetts was a wealthy merchant who funded many Patriot groups including the Sons of Liberty. Because of his popularity amongst the Patriot movement he was chosen as President of the Second Continental Congress.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most respected men in the colonies, he had been a leader in the Pennsylvania legislature. In 1765 he represented the colonies in London and helped win repeal of the Stamp Act.

Thomas Jefferson was only 32 at the time and was known as a brilliant thinker

The delegates at the Second Continental Congress had much to discuss. Though American and British blood had been spilled, they were not ready to vote for a break from Britain.

The Continental Congress began governing the colonies.

It authorized the printing of money Set up a post office, with Franklin in

charge. Formed committees to handle

relations with Native Americans and foreign countries.

Most important, it created the Continental Army.

They chose George Washington to lead them.

The delegates then offered Britain a last chance to avoid war.

They sent a petition, or formal request, to George III.

Olive Branch Petition- The delegates sent a petition to George III assuring the king that the colonists wanted peace.

The king rejected the petition. Instead, he prepared for war.

He hired more than 30,000 German troops, called Hessians. The British colonists, Patriots and Loyalists, saw them as mercenaries.

British troops in Canada were planning to invade New York.

A unit of Patriots decided to strike first and marched north from Fort Ticonderoga and captured Montreal.

Washington reached the Boston area in July 1775, a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Although the size of the colonial force grew every day, Washington realized that the men were disorganized and lacked discipline.

Washington began the task of turning armed civilians into soldiers.

In need of weapons, he arranged to have dozens of cannons hauled 300 miles from Fort Ticonderoga.

In March 1776, Washington moved soldiers and cannons into position overlooking Boston, while the redcoats slept.

British General William Howe, surprised, commanded his soldiers to board ships and withdraw from Boston.

Although many colonists held on to hope that the colonies could remain part of Great Britain, support for independence was growing.

Thomas Paine called for complete break with British rule in his pamphlet Common Sense.

"Every thing that is right or

reasonable pleads for

separation. The blood of the

slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘TIS TIME TO PART."

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and drew on ideas from English philosopher John Locke.

He believed that people are born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

People form governments to protect those rights, and that a government interfering with those rights could rightfully be overthrown.

Twelve colonies voted for independence on July 2, 1776 (New York did not vote). After the vote, Thomas Jefferson wrote a rough draft of a Declaration of Independence. After making some changes to Jefferson’s draft, delegates approved the document on July 4, 1776.

John Hancock was the first to sign it. He signed using huge letters because he wanted King George to be able to read it without his glasses.

Journal 23Write a letter of grievances

against your parents.

December 4th, 2012

Homelearning

•Achieve 3000-The Story of the States due by next Friday.•Begin reviewing for test

Remediation:Chapt. 5 Lesson 4 Guided Reading1.John and Samuel Adams, Patrick

Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington

2.He represented the colonies in front of parliament in 1765 and successfully gained the repeal of the Stamp Act.

3.Authorized the printing of money4.Created a Post Office which was to

be led by Benjamin Franklin

5.Created the Continental Army6.Mercenaries from Germany that

were hired by King George. He hired a total of 30,000 of them.

7.Washington ordered canons to be moved from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston where they were positioned to surround the city. The British ordered a retreat once they found out that they were surrounded by artillery.

1. Complete independence from Britain2. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,

Robert Livingston, Robert Sherman. Jefferson was asked to write the first draft.

3. People are born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property ( the pursuit of Happiness). People form governments to protect those rights and that a government interfering with those rights could rightfully be overthrown.

4. Inalienable Rights:a.Life, Liberty, and Property (Pursuit of

Happiness)b.Alter or abolish disruptive governmentsGrievances:c.Kept standing armies amongst the

coloniesd.Appointed only loyalist judgese.Refused Assent to local

Laws/Suspended local governments f. Suspended local Governors

Did you find any others?

Just a few possible answers for #4

The Declaration has four major sections:

The first section, called the Preamble, explains why the Continental Congress drew up the Declaration of Independence.

The second section, called the Declaration of Natural Rights, lists the rights of citizens. It goes on to explain that, in a republic, people form a government to protect their rights.

The third section, called the List of Grievances, lists the colonist’s complaints against the British government. Notice that King George III is singled out for blame.

The fourth section, called the Resolution of Independence, declares the colonies are “Free and Independent States” with full power to make war, to form alliances, and to trade with other countries.

In your groups, find evidence in each section of the Declaration of

Independence that supports the summaries of each section that we just discussed. Use pages 96-97 in

your book.

Preamble

Declaration of Natural Rights

List and explain 5 grievances mentioned in the Declaration.

Resolution of Independence by the United States.