Colonial Development
The Road to Independence
& Our First National
Government
Different Countries – Different Reasons
Different
countries came to the New World for
different reasons:
France – Fur trade
Spanish – the 3 G’s
English – Freedom
Why
would the reason for settlement make a
difference in colonists staying or leaving?
Colonial Development
When
the English colonist arrived in North America,
they found the land presented them with dangers as
well as opportunities.
It was the dangers that pushed the colonies towards
unity but only independence would successfully
unite all 13 colonies.
What particular danger made unity a must?
Indian attacks (The New England Confederation)
What finally successfully united all
thirteen colonies?
INDEPENDENCE
Click here for a video!
The 13 Original Colonies
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Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Rhode Island
Virginia
Reasons of Seeking Independence
1.
2.
3.
There was a physical and political distance.
•
Physical distance – the colonies were separated from Great
Britain by an ocean – they were 3,000 miles apart.
•
Political distance – since the very first permanent settlement
(150 years earlier), the colonies had ruled themselves.
In 1760, the British throne was passed to George III. He agreed
with British Parliament that the colonies had become too
independent.
The Seven Year’s War had plunged Britain into debt. These war
debts had to be paid and Britain saw the colonies as a way of
repaying them. The British began passing several trade restrictions
& taxes on the colonists.
Colonist Were Angry for Two Reasons
Colonists were upset over two things:
1.
Taxes
2.
Trade Restrictions
"No taxation without Representation."
Colonist's resentment came to a head after the Boston Massacre on
March 5, 1770 when British soldiers shot and killed 5 protestors.
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Not Your Momma’s Tea Party!
1773
Parliament placed a tax on
imported tea
When
the first load of taxed tea arrived
in Boston Harbor, colonists dressed as
Indians and emptied 342 chests of tea
into the harbor
The Intolerable Acts
Parliament's
reaction to the Boston Tea Party
Closed Boston Harbor to all ships except
British ships
The Quartering Act forced colonists to house
and feed British soldiers or get shot
Colonists would no longer be tried in colonial
courts, but instead in British courts
First Continental Congress
Began September 5, 1774 in
Philadelphia at Independence
Hall
 Delegates from all colonies
except Georgia met to discuss
the problems with Great
Britain.

This Meeting Did 3 Things:
1.
2.
3.
It called for a boycott of all
British goods.
•
Boycott – an agreement to
stop buying or using
goods or services.
They wrote a list of
grievances to King George III
They planned to meet again if
the King did not meet their
demands.
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Second
Continental
Congress
 Decided to meet again after British soldiers clashed with colonial
militias on April 19, 1775 at Lexington and Concord
 Began
May 10, 1775 again at Independence Hall in Philadelphia
 Delegates
voted to form a Continental Army led by George
Washington
 Most
delegates were in favor of independence, but it wasn't until
June 1776 that a committee of five men began drafting a
declaration of independence
Thomas Jefferson (VA), John Adams (MA), Benjamin Franklin
(PA), Roger Sherman (CT), Robert Livingston (NY)
 On July 4, 1776 the delegates approved the Dec. of Independence
 Click here for a video!
Another video!
Declaration of Independence
It’s too late to apologize.
Another video? Awesome!
Components of the Declaration of
Independence
1.
2.
3.
Lists the reasons the colonies
were seeking independence
Statement of American ideals
– purpose of government is to
protect our natural rights
Mapped out the kind of
government the delegates
wanted.
Click here for a video!
Our First National Government
 During
the 5 years at war, the Continental Congress
served as the new nation's government.
 The
Congress appointed a committee to prepare a plan of
government known as the Articles of Confederation.
 Congress
approved the plan in 1777 and sent it to the
states for ratification, approval. The states didn't approve
the Articles until 1781.
State Constitutions

State lawmakers believed that government should be based on an
established set of principles.

These princples included popular sovereignty, limited government, the rule
of law and majority rule.

States also separated the powers of gov. between an executive, legislative and
judicial branches.
Each state constitution began with a statement of individual rights
 They typically limited voting rights to white men who paid taxes and owned
property
 All states south of Pennsylvania denied slaves equal rights

The End to a Long War & The Beginning
of a Great Nation
The
last battle of the American Revolution
was the Battle of Yorktown – October 19,
1781.
The official end was not until September 3,
1789 when the Treaty of Paris was signed.