Topic:
Declaring
Independence
Essential Question:
What people and events contributed to the
Second Continental Congress declaring
independence?
 Second Continental Congress
 Meeting of delegates from all 13 colonies in Philadelphia
that began in May 1775
Independence Hall
 Second Continental Congress
 Meeting of delegates from all 13 colonies in Philadelphia
that began in May 1775
 Important delegates:
 John Hancock of Massachusetts
 President of the Second Continental Congress
 First and largest signature on the Declaration of
Independence
 President of the Second Continental Congress
 First and largest signature on the Declaration of
Independence
 John Adams of Massachusetts
 Made influential speeches
 Helped convince delegates to declare
independence
 “Voice of the Revolution”
 Helped convince delegates to declare
independence
 “Voice of the Revolution”
 Wife = Abigail
 Their letters provide detailed
descriptions of events of the
Revolution
512 pages
 Wife = Abigail
 Their letters provide detailed
descriptions of events of the
Revolution
 Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania
 Tried to negotiate a peaceful solution
between Britain and the colonies
 Became a strong supporter of the
Patriot cause
 Tried to negotiate a peaceful solution between Britain
and the colonies
 Became a strong supporter of the Patriot cause
 Discuss John Hancock, John
Adams, Abigail Adams, and
Benjamin Franklin
 Write a one-sentence
description of one of the four
 Tried to negotiate a
peaceful solution between
Britain and the colonies
 Became a strong supporter
of the Patriot cause
 Patrick Henry of Virginia
 Early supporter of
independence
 Famous quotation:
 “Give me liberty or
give me death!”
 Famous quotation:
 “Give me liberty or give me death!”
 Thomas Jefferson of Virginia
 2nd youngest delegate
 Thomas Jefferson of Virginia
 2nd youngest delegate
 George Washington of Virginia
 Wealthy plantation owner
 Military experience from the French and Indian War
 Wealthy plantation owner
 Military experience from the French and Indian War
 Discuss Patrick Henry,
Thomas Jefferson, and
George Washington
 If you could ask one of them
a question, what would it
be? How do you think he
would answer?
 Wealthy plantation owner
 Military experience from the French and Indian War
 Bunker Hill (June 1775)
 Hill that overlooks Boston Harbor
 Defended by Minutemen who were low on ammunition
 Hill that overlooks Boston Harbor
 Defended by Minutemen who were low on ammunition
 Famous quotation by Colonel William Prescott:
 “Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”
 Famous quotation by Colonel William Prescott:
 “Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”
 British victory
 Minutemen had to withdraw when they ran out of
ammunition
 British victory
 Minutemen had to withdraw when they ran out of
ammunition
 British suffered high casualties
 Over 1000 = 1/3 of their forces in Boston
 Proved that the colonists could fight
Death of
General
Warren
 Over 1000 = 1/3 of their forces
in Boston
 Proved that the colonists could fight
 Continental Army
 Name of the American army during
the Revolutionary War
 Continental Congress chose George
Washington as commander
 Name of the American army during
the Revolutionary War
 Continental Congress chose George
Washington as commander
Henry Knox
 Name of the American army during the
Revolutionary War
 Continental Congress chose George Washington
as commander
 Discuss Bunker Hill and the
Continental Army
 Write a sentence explaining
why Bunker Hill was
important to the colonists.
 Name of the American army during
the Revolutionary War
 Continental Congress chose George
Washington as commander
 Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)
 Last attempt by the Second
Continental Congress to reconcile
with England and avoid full-scale war
John Dickinson
 Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)
 Last attempt by the Second Continental Congress to
reconcile with England and avoid full-scale war
 Rejected by the king
 Last attempt by the Second Continental Congress to
reconcile with England and avoid full-scale war
 Rejected by the King
 Thomas Paine
 Moved to Philadelphia from England in 1774
 Wrote Common Sense (1776)
 Moved to Philadelphia from England in 1774
 Wrote Common Sense (1776)
 Influential pamphlet
 Encouraged the colonies to declare independence
 Written in simple language
Statue in his hometown
(Thetford, England)
 Encouraged the colonies to declare independence
 Written in simple language
 Discuss the Olive Branch
Petition and Common Sense
 Choose one of the following:
 Explain the importance of
the Olive Branch Petition
 Explain the importance of
Common Sense
 Encouraged the colonies to declare independence
 Written in simple language
 Independence
 Committee of Five
 Appointed on June 11, 1776
 Job was to draft a formal declaration of independence
 Appointed on June 11, 1776
 Job was to draft a formal declaration of independence
 Members:
 Benjamin Franklin
 John Adams
 Robert Livingston
 Roger Sherman
 Thomas Jefferson
 Roger Sherman
 Thomas Jefferson
 Second Continental Congress voted to
declare independence on July 2, 1776
 Declaration of Independence
 Written by Thomas Jefferson
 “Pen of the Revolution”
 Written by Thomas Jefferson
 “Pen of the Revolution”
 Influenced by the ideas of John Locke
 “Pen of the Revolution”
 Influenced by the ideas of John Locke
 Approved on July 4, 1776
 Influenced by
the ideas of
John Locke
 Approved on July
4, 1776
 Began signing the
Declaration on
August 2, 1776
 Approved on July 4, 1776
 Began signing the Declaration on August 2, 1776
 Discuss the Committee of
Five and the Declaration of
Independence
 Explain how John Locke’s
ideas influenced the
Declaration of Independence