What was Paine’s view of Great
Britian. What was his purpose of
Common Sense?
A. Pushed Towards Independence
• Events in 1775 moved colonists towards the
idea of independence
• Colonists angry at the King’s response to the
Olive Branch Petition
• Learned the British were recruiting Native
Americans and African Americans to fight
them.
• By spring of 1776 the leaders in the colonies
were believing in independence
B. Revolutionary Ideology
1. Locke and Natural Rights
– Colonial leaders knew about Locke’s theory
– He believed that the government should protect
the rights and liberties of it’s citizens
– The Parliament was not doing this for the
Colonists
– This justified rebellion against
the bad government
2. Virginia Declaration of Rights
– May 1776: Virginia Convention issues this
declaration
– First official call for American Independence
– Influences the Declaration of Independence, the
Bill of Rights, and many state constitutions
– Declared all men “by nature equally free and
independent…”
C. Writing the Declaration
1. Continental Congress and Independence
– Virginia presents three resolutions to the
Congress about independence
– Delegates of the Congress appoint a group to
write a draft of a declaration of independence
– Appoint John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger
Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin to
write it
2. Jefferson’s Declaration
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–
–
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Jefferson is given the task to write it by the group
His drafts are changed by Adams and Franklin
Draft is presented to the Continental Congress
They make more changes
•
•
Tone down the language
against the King
Take out the section that
attacked the slave trade
3. Signing the Declaration of Independence
– July 2, 1776: final document presented to
Congress
– Congress votes to declare independence
– July 4, 1776: declaration is fully approved
– Crowds across the colonies cheered and church
bells rang out
D. What it Says
• List of reasons for breaking away from Great
Britain
• Says “All men are created equal.”
• Natural Rights: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of
Happiness
• If government does not protect these rights you
can get rid of it
• GB is not protecting the colonists so they can get
rid of the government
• Declares all political ties to GB dissolved
E. Those Against Independence
1. Western Frontier
– Colonists in the frontier did not want to be pulled
into the fighting
– Feared fighting the British would pull many men
away from home
2. Loyalists
– About 1/4 of colonists remained loyal to Great
Britain
– They were called Loyalist Tories
– Loyalists ties were highest in Southern Colonies
except Virginia
– Loyalists were often tied to the government
– Loyalists were harassed, attacked, or run out of
town