Unit 4Chapter 7Lesson 1

Pages 182-187

Write one question for each word or phrase that could

possibly be answered by today’s lesson.

Possible Questions

INDEPENDENCE OLIVE BRANCH

COMMANDER IN CHIEF

The Continental Congress met again in Philadelphia starting in May of 1775 to decide what to

do.

Carpenters’ Hall in 1775

They decided to create a Continental Army, and they

chose George Washington as the commander in chief.

Trying to find a peaceful solution with Britain, they sent King George III the Olive Branch

Petition. He refused to even read it. War was now the only choice!

In 1776 Thomas Paine wrote a small book called Common

Sense. It gave many reasons why colonists should declare

their independence from Britain. It inspired even more people.

The Second Continental Congress decided to declare that the American colonies were free

and independent from British rule.

So they formed a small committee to write the

Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson did most of the writing with help from

John Adams, Ben Franklin,

Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman.

This committee presented a draft to the Continental

Congress. After some debate and editing, the Declaration of

Independence was rewritten and approved on July 4, 1776.

The Declaration stated why the colonies wanted their

independence, listed ways in which Britain violated the

colonists’ rights, and declared the colonies free from British

rule.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on

August 2, 1776, by 56

men.

Follow your teacher’s directions for a chalk talk on

Independence.

Chalk Talk