Thursday, Sept. 24

Please get out your Chapter 2 Outline and
something to write with.

SSL Project is due Oct. 8……… 12 days
from today……….
FREEDOM WEEK
Declaration of Independence (excerpt)

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness --- That to
secure these rights, governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed.”
“Birth of a Democratic Nation”
American Ideals vs.
British Control

For almost 100 years,
American colonial
governments enjoyed
relative “self government” from
Britain.

In 1760, King George III
takes the throne and
demands more control
over America
King George III
(1760 – 1820)
“Mercantilism”

King George wanted to
adopt the idea of
“mercantilism” in Great
Britain.

“Mercantilism” states a
country should sell more
goods to other countries
than it buys.
“Mercantilism”

Britain wanted to get as
much wealth out of the
American colonies as
possible.

The colonies were a source
of cheap, raw materials and
revenue (profit made from
collecting taxes).
“French & Indian War”
“French & Indian War”

The “French & Indian
War” (1754-1763) made
things worse.

The war was extremely
expensive for the British
government

Parliament demanded that
the colonies help pay for the
war and increased taxes in
America to raise revenue.
“Stamp Act” (1765)
“Stamp Act” (1765)

The first significant tax
was collected through
the“Stamp Act” of 1765.

This act required
expensive tax stamps on
all newspapers and legal
documents
“No Taxation Without
Representation”
“No Taxation Without
Representation”

American colonists resented these
new taxes by the British.

Since they had no representation in
the British Parliament, they felt
they should not have to raise
revenue for the King (by paying
taxes)

Their slogan no taxation without
representation! Embodied this!
(taxation without representation is
tyranny)
American Boycotts

In protest, many
Americans began to
“boycott” or refuse to buy
British goods.

As a result pressure
from British Merchants
in the colonies, the
British government
“repealed” or cancelled
the act.
“Townshend Acts” (1767)
The new “Townshend Act” of
1767 replaced other British
taxes.
 This act allowed taxes to be
levied on basic goods
imported to the colonies from
Great Britain (glass, tea,
paper, etc.)


Once again the colonists
would boycott.
“Tea Act” (1773)

The “Tea Act” followed, allowing
the British East India Company
to bypass colonial government
tax requirements.

It lowered taxes on British tea -which made merchants have to
buy British tea over other tea.

American merchants were
outraged and decided to act….
“Boston Tea Party”
“Coercive” (“Intolerable”) Acts

To respond to the
“Boston Tea Party”, the
British Parliament
created the “Coercive
Acts”.

Called the “Intolerable
Acts” by America, these
acts restricted colonial
rights!!
First Continental Congress
(1774)
First Continental Congress
(1774)
 In 1774, 12 of the 13 (not
Georgia) American
colonies sent “delegates”
or representatives to
Philadelphia to express
their concerns with
Britain’s new taxes.

This meeting was called
the First Continental
Congress.
1st Continental Congress

The First Continental
Congress sent a letter
called the Olive Branch
Petition to King George
demanding the rights of
the colonists be restored.

All agreed to meet again
within a year if the king
did not agree.
King George’s Response
In April 1775, the battle of Lexington and Concord begin the
American Revolutionary War. “the shot heard around the
world!”
Second Continental Congress
(1775)
Second Continental Congress
(1775)
 During the second meeting, called
the Second Continental Congress,
delegates were split and argued over
the best solution.

Some delegates wanted
independence while others wanted to
remain loyal.

Many did NOT want independence,
fearing they could not win a war
with Britain.
Thomas Paine &
“Common Sense” (1776)
Thomas Paine &
“Common Sense”

In his pamphlet, Paine argued in 1776 that it
was only “Common Sense” for America to
break ties with Great Britain. He stated that
there was a “social contract” between the
people and the government” and that the
government had broken the contract. He said
that King George was a “royal brute” and
America had every right to sever ties.
Analyzing Activity - “To bring the matter to one point, Is the power
who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us?
Whoever says, No, to this question, is an independent, for
independency means no more than this, whether we shall make our
own law, or, whether the king, the greatest enemy which this
continent hath, or can have, shall tell us there shall be no laws but
such as I like.” What concept is this quote describing? Rule by the
people
Second Continental Congress
(1776)

After many months of
debate, more than half of the
delegates agreed to declare
independence from Great
Britain.
 The writings of Paine and
the idea of social contract
were very influential.
 They decided to write a
Declaration of Independence
“Declaration of Independence”

Thomas Jefferson , the main
author – he detailed the
colonies’ reasons for breaking
away with Great Britain.

Jefferson claimed that the king
did not look after the interests/
rights of the colonies anymore.

Listed all of the grievances, or
complaints, that the colonists
had towards the crown.
“Declaration of Independence”

Thomas Jefferson was also influenced by the
ideas of John Locke & Baron de Montesquieu
 Locke believed in natural law & social contract.
 Natural Law means that you are born with certain
rights not granted by the government.
– “natural rights” that because we are human we are
guarantee by the Heavens (God)…life, liberty and property –
Jefferson would change this slightly
– “social contract” – that people have a contract with their
government and the gov’t should protect it’s people.
(“Locked into a contract”)

Baron de Montesquieu (“3 Names, 3 Words, 3
Branches”)
– Separation of Powers – each branch of government is
responsible for specific powers.
“Declaration of Independence”
Part I of the DoI - “Causes”
 Jefferson wrote that “a decent
respect for the opinions of
mankind requires that they
should declare the causes
which impel them to the
separation”.

What does this mean???
“Declaration of Independence”
Part II of the DoI – “Rights”
 The document clearly
expresses that purpose of
government is to protect
natural (inalienable) rights,
which are the basic rights
that are entitled to all
human beings.
– Life, Liberty and the
Pursuit of Happiness
“Declaration of Independence”
Part II of the DoI – “Rights” cont’
Recite together
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-That to secure these rights, Governments
are instituted among Men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the
governed, --That whenever any Form of
Government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or
to abolish it, and to institute new
Government
“Declaration of Independence”
Part II of the DoI – “Rights” cont’



“All men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness” – Where do we get our rights from? What
rights are we guaranteed?
“That to secure these rights, Governments are
instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed” – Why do governments
exist? Where do governments get their power from? –
this is called Popular Sovereignty
“That whenever any Form of Government becomes
destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to
alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government”
– When a government becomes destructive (or no
longer protects the rights of the people), what should
the people do?
“Declaration of Independence”
Part III of the DoI – “Grievances”
 Jefferson listed the many
“complaints” that the colonists
had against the King and
Parliament
– “The history of the present King of
Great Britain is a history of repeated
injuries and usurpations, all having
in direct object the establishment of
an absolute Tyranny over these
States” (analyze)
“Declaration of Independence”
Part III of the DoI – “Grievances”
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their
operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would
relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants
only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of
their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the
rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative
powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in
the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for
Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the
conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary
powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of
their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out
their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by
our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
“Declaration of Independence”
Part III of the DoI – “Grievances”
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the
Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an
Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument
for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of
our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all
cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death,
desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the
most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country,
to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our
frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of
all ages, sexes and conditions.
“Declaration of Independence”
Part IV of the DoI – “Declaration of a
new Nation”
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States
of America, in General Congress, Assembled,
appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the
rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by
Authority of the good People of these Colonies,
solemnly publish and declare, That these United
Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and
Independent States;…………. And for the support of
this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection
of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other
our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor”
What does this mean????
We were now 13 free and independent “united” States
of America……..why the little “u”???
“Declaration of Independence”

In order to break away from Britain
and protect the rights of the
people…
 The Second Continental Congress
approved the Declaration on July 4,
1776 and we celebrate that as the
Birthday of our nation.
 This document highlighted the
Enlightenment ideas about liberty,
natural rights, and social contract.
 But to truly be free, what did we
still have to do????
Civics’ Greatest Hits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAZ8QJgFHOg

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=too+late+to+apologize+a+declaration+with+lyrics&FOR
M=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=260D1651F10A3A45B786260D1651F10A3A45B786