Declaration of Independence

(1776)

• Second Continental Congress met in 1775

-Rejected Parliament’s power to tax

-Many delegates still want reconciliation

• Write the Olive Branch Petition-Appeal to King for peace,

self-government-King ignores

Moving Towards Independence

Enlightenment Ideas• 17th-18th C: logic and reason can be used

to improve society, law, gov’t• Thomas Paine writes “Common Sense”

based on enlightenment Ideas• John Locke (17C) Social Contract

Theory1) People are born with 3 natural

rights: life, liberty, property2) Gov’ts job is to protect natural

rights of the people3) When the gov’t does not protect

rights, people have right to rebel

A Nation is Born• On July 4, 1776 the Second

Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence written mostly by Thomas Jefferson

• Announced colonies break with GB• Jefferson used the ideas of Locke:

1) men possessed certain “inalienable rights”

including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”

2) King George III passed unfair laws and taxed unfairly 3) Colonists had right to declare ind. because King broke social contract