The Birth of a New Nation
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
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that
Governments long established should not be
changed for light and transient causes; and
accordingly all experience hath shown, that
mankind are more disposed to suffer, while
evils are sufferable, than to right themselves
by abolishing the forms to which they are
accustomed. But when a long train of abuses
and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same
Object evinces a design to reduce them under
absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their
duty, to throw off such government,…….”
Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of
Independence
The French and Indian War
(1754-1763)
England and France
go to war over
colonial territories
 The Navigation Acts
– laws that gave
England control of
colonial trade

British Victory in French and Indian War
Britain (England) wins but is heavily in debt.
 Expect the colonies to help pay cost

The Albany Plan of Union
(1754)
Plan proposed by
Ben Franklin for the
colonies to unite for
mutual defense
 Rejected but shows
that the colonies are
considering unifying.

Proclamation of 1763
No settlements
beyond the
Appalachian Mtns.
 Prevents conflict w/
Native Americans but
enrages farmers who
wish to have more
land.

Stamp Act (1765)
British tax on
newspapers and legal
documents
 First tax on colonies by
Parliament
 “No taxation without
representation” –
becomes slogan of
revolution
 Boycott - Colonists
refuse to buy British
products

Stamp Act Congress (1765)
Meeting of
representatives from
each colony in New
York to protest
actions of King
 Stamp Act is
repealed because of
boycotts

Declaratory Act (1767)

Parliament ‘declares’
it has the right to
make decisions for
and tax the colonies
“in all cases”
Townshend Acts (1766)
Set of laws that further restricted
colonial rights
 Writs of Assistance general warrants
to search any property at any time,

The Boston Massacre
(March 5, 1770)
British soldiers shoot into angry crowd
and kill 5 colonists
 Became propaganda for those who
wanted revolution

The Tea Act (1773)
Made British East India Tea exempt from
taxes and cheaper than colonial tea.
 Gives British a business advantage.

The Boston Tea Party (1773)

Colonists dump English tea into Boston Harbor
to protest tea act.
The Coercive/Intolerable Acts
(1774)

Took away colonists
civil rights, including
trial by jury
The First Continental Congress (1774)
12 Colonies send
delegates
(representatives) to
Philadelphia to
address concerns.
 Send request to king
demanding rights be
restored

The Battles of Lexington and Concord (April
1775)
British soldiers and
colonists fight first
battles of Revolution.
 “The shot heard
round the world” –
influenced
independence
movements around
the world

The 2nd Continental Congress
(1775-1776)
Delegates returned to Philadelphia to
determine next step
 Eventually decide to fight for
independence

The Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
 Document declaring
the colonies free from
British control

Who wrote Common Sense and what was its
purpose?
Thomas Paine
 Purpose was to
encourage revolution

Who wrote the
Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson
Two Purposes of Declaration

Declare
independence

State the reasons
why
John Locke’s Influence on Declaration of
Independence
All men equal
 All men entitled to
rights
 Government power
comes from the
people
 Right to abolish an
oppressive
government

John Locke’s Social Contract

Government is
created to secure
rights of people and
when it fails to do
this the people have
the right to abolish
it.