Chapter 7.1 cont.

• After the first meeting of the Continental Congress, the members for the 1st Continental Congress reported back to their colonies for direction– Patrick Henry’s famous line was used in gaining

support for preparing for battle• “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give

me liberty or give me death!’• *Allegedly, these are not the actual words of Patrick Henry,

but of biographer William Wirt, who knew Henry made a speech, but filled in words so Henry would be remembered by.

• Lexington and Concord• 2nd Continental Congress

– May 1775, now that people have been killed, the Congress faced some problems:

• They were not a government• They would not/could not take orders from Parliament

– They had to act as a government

• Massachusetts asked the Continental Congress to assume responsibility for the soldiers of the militia fighting in Massachusetts

– The Continental Congress did so and asked other colonies to send troops: This became the Continental Army

– Appointed George Washington as commander– Continental Congress offered another peace request to Britain

The Olive Branch Petition, it was refused due to the increase in fighting (Ticonderoga, Bunker Hill, etc)

• Who the heck is Thomas Paine? (7.2 notes)– Wrote a pamphlet (Jan. 1776) called Common Sense

in which he made arguments for breaking away from England

– For Example• “One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary

right in kings, is that nature disapproved it, otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass for a lion”

• “There is something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island. To be always running three or four thousand miles with a tale or a petition, waiting four or five months for an answer, which when obtained requires five or six more to explain it, will in a few years be looked upon as folly and childishness”

– Written in a plain way, many colonist agreed. 120,000 copies made in the colonies (per capita, 12 million copies today)

• Prohibitory Act– Called the colonies “open enemies”– Outlawed American commerce and said that

all American ships belonged to the Crown– Allowed British forces to raid ports and attack

ships– People in the colonies now began to call for a

break from England, which made its way to the Continental Congress

• Declaration of Independence– Richard Henry Lee (VA) proposed a resolution

that a document be written declaring independence – John Adams was one of the most vocal about it but many saw him as obnoxious.

• What did the Declaration do?– Defined complaints against King George III– On July 4, 1776 is was approved (at least officially). It

formally dissolved all allegiance to the British Crown and Created the United States of America

» Declaration started to be signed by members on July 19th took over a year to get all signatures.

• The colonies were now is full revolution– Not everyone agreed

• Loyalist – people who felt/remained loyal to Great Britain (over 50,000 fled the colonies)

• Patriots – those who would fight for Independence– It tore some families apart (like the Civil War did)

» i.e. Ben Franklin and his son

– Issues not included in the Declaration– Women

» Declaration did not address their rights– Slaves

» Nearly prevented ratification of the Declaration» Jefferson had to remove parts regarding slaves