Chapter 6: The American Revolution (1754-1783) Ch. 6.1: A Nation Declares Independence.
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Transcript of Chapter 6: The American Revolution (1754-1783) Ch. 6.1: A Nation Declares Independence.
Chapter 6:The American
Revolution(1754-1783)
Ch. 6.1:A Nation Declares
Independence
Why did many colonists favor declaring independence?
1776► Few colonists could have predicted
what lay ahead
► Most colonists still hoped for a peaceful end to the quarrel with Britain
1776► Who had the majority: Patriots
or Loyalists?
► Even within the Continental Congress, only about a third of the delegates supported independence
1776In short, colonists are divided
Let’s Review:
The Enlightenment
► A group of European thinkers came to believe that all problems could be solved by human reason
► They looked for “natural laws” that governed politics, society, and economics
Let’s Review:
John Locke
Let’s Review:
John Locke
► Argued that people have certain natural rights that cannot be taken away
► Challenged the idea of divine right
► The purpose of government is to protect the people’s natural rights
► People give up some individual freedoms but only to safeguard the rights of the community
Let’s Review:
John Locke
► Locke’s reasoningleads to a startlingconclusion…
In January of 1776,a pamphlet appeared on the streets of Philadelphia
In January of 1776,a pamphlet appeared on the streets of Philadelphia
Common Sense (1776)
Thomas Paine “offer[ed] nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense”
Thomas Paine “offer[ed] nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense”
► Thomas Paine tried to convince the colonists
► They did not owe loyalty to a monarch
► They owed nothing to England either
► If England had helped them, it had done so only for its own profit
► “’Tis time to part”… Americans would be far better off if they governed themselves
► The effect? Many colonists now began to think about independence…
May 1776
► Virginia authorized its delegates to support independence
► Henry Lee introduces a resolution to Congress
► “… these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.”
Congress Breaks From Britain
► June 1776… the Continental Congress is ready to break with Britain… Why is this not an easy decision?
► Thomas Jefferson was asked to tell the world why the colonies were breaking away from Britain
► July 2nd, 1776… the Continental Congress voted that the 13 colonies were “free and independent states”
► July 4th, 1776… the delegates accepted Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence
► The document has three parts:
► Part One:
► The idea of natural rights, or that rights belong to all people at birth
► “Government” is how people protect these rights
► If the gov’t fails to protect these rights, then it is the people’s right “to throw off such government”
► Part Two lists the wrongs committed by King George III and how he abused his power
► Part Three:
► Announces that the colonies had become the “United States of America”
► All ties were Britain were cut. The U.S. was free to act as an
independent nation
Why did many colonists favor declaring independence?