Colonial DevelopmentThe Road to

Independence & our First National Government

Different Countries – Different Reasons

Different countries came to the New World for different reasons: France – Fur trade Spanish – the 3 G’s English – Freedom

Why would the reason for settlement make a difference in colonists staying or leaving?

Colonial Development When the English colonist arrived in North

America, they found the land presented them with dangers as well as opportunities.

It was the dangers that pushed the colonies towards unity but only independence would successfully unite all 13 colonies.

What particular danger made unity a must? Indian attacks

INDEPENDENCE

What finally successfully united all thirteen colonies?

The 13 Original Colonies Connecticut Delaware Georgia Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Pennsylvania South Carolina Rhode Island Virginia

Reasons of Seeking Independence

1. There was a physical and political distance.• Physical distance – the colonies were separated

from Great Britain by an ocean – they were 3,000 miles apart.

• Political distance – since the very first permanent settlement (150 years earlier), the colonies had ruled themselves.

2. In 1760, the British throne was passed to George III. He agreed with British Parliament that the colonies had become too independent.

3. The Seven Year’s War had plunged Britain into debt. These war debts had to be paid and Britain saw the colonies as a way of repaying them. The British began passing several trade restrictions & taxes on the colonists.

Colonist Were Angry for Two Reasons

1. Taxes2. Trade Restrictions

Both were passed without any colonial representatives in British Parliament

First Continental Congress Began September 5,

1774 in Philadelphia at Independence Hall

Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met to discuss the problems with Great Britain.

This Meeting Did 3 Things:

1. It called for a boycott of all British goods.• Boycott – an

agreement to stop buying or using goods or services.

2. They wrote a list of grievances to King George III

3. They planned to meet again if the King did not meet their demands.

Second Continental Congress Began May 10, 1775 in Philadelphia at

Independence Hall Nearly all delegates were in favor of

independence Appointed a committee of five to write

the Declaration of Independence. It was approved by the Continental

Congress on July 4, 1776

Declaration of IndependenceA Committee of

Five:1. Thomas Jefferson –

major author2. John Adams3. Roger Sherman4. Robert Livingston5. Ben Franklin

Components of the Declaration of Independence

1. Lists the reasons the colonies were seeking independence

2. Statement of American ideals – purpose of government is to protect our natural rights

3. Mapped out the kind of government the delegates wanted.

Our First National Government

The Founding Fathers realized that the 13 colonies needed a document that outlined how government should operate (constitution).

The Articles of Confederation became our first national government.

It passed the 2nd Continental Congress on March 1, 1781.

The End to a Long War & The Beginning of a Great Nation

The last battle of the American Revolution was the Battle of Yorktown – October 19, 1781.

The official end was not until September 3, 1789 when the Treaty of Paris was signed.