As British policies led them toward independence, the colonies developed new forms of government.

• Came about due to the Intolerable Acts
• Delegates from every colony
● After the Boston Tea
• Not Georgia
• Sept 1774
Party meant to punish the people in the
• Sent a Declaration of Rights
• protested British policies
Colonies.
○ Closed the port of
Boston
• This was not about independence ○ Quartering act
• Yet

• Britain refused to compromise
• Met in Philly May 1775
• Revolution had begun already
• All 13 colonies represented this time
• John Hancock was president
• created the continental army
• Lead by George Washington

• Because of war a government was needed quickly
• The Second Continental Congress acted as our
National Government during the revolutionary war
From the Declaration of Independence TO
The Articles of
Confederation
1776 1781

• Committee of 5 to write it
• Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman,
Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson
• Calls for complete separation from Britain
• Scary
• The 13 colonies were now 13 free and independent states

There are a number of ideas shared among the constitutions written by the 13 new states
Popular Sovereignty Government can exist and function only with the consent of the governed. The people hold the power and the people are sovereign
Limited Government The powers delegated to government were granted reluctantly and hedged with many restrictions
Civil Rights &
Liberties
Government must respect certain rights of the people at all times
Separation of Powers powers granted to the state governments were divided among 3 branches