Declaring Independence
Ch. 10, Sec. 1, Part II
“Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death!”
Research and determine which side was successful in the beginning stages of
the war and what had to be done before the Declaration of Independence
became a reality.
The Continental Army Is Formed
-The Second Continental Congress• After the first battle at Lexington and Concord, colonial
militiamen from all over New England began surrounding the
British Army at Boston. There was however, no regular American
Army at this time.
• Patriots, Rebels, Continentals, Yankees, Americans, Colonials-The
names given to the Americans during the war.
• British, Regulars, Lobsterbacks, Redcoats, Loyalists, Tories-The
name given to those who were British or sympathetic to Great
Britain during the Revolution.
• On May 10th, 1775, the Continental Congress again met in
Philadelphia. 1) The Continental Army was officially formed and
2) George Washington was chosen as its commander in chief.
• Delegates from North Carolina were Joseph Hewes, John Penn
and William Hooper.
The Capture of Ft. Ticonderoga
Shortly after the Continental Congress met, a small American force under Ethan
Allen captured the mighty British fort at Ft. Ticonderoga without firing a shot.
They were after the artillery, or the cannons that were stored there. They then
transported these guns to Boston where they were used to keep the British there
under siege.
The Battle of Bunker/Breed’s Hill
April 17th, 1775
• Surrounded by the Americans in Boston, the British force there
under General William Howe decided to break the siege and
attack the Americans on the heights above them.
• After a terrific barrage by British artillery and warships, over
2,000 highly-trained regulars marched up the slopes of Bunker
and Breed’s Hill, straight at the waiting militiamen.
• British losses were terrible. Only when the Americans ran out of
ammunition did the British drive them from the field. One-half or
over 1,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded in the battle.
• The Americans had proven that with proper leadership and
motivation, they could stand up to the most powerful army in the
world.
“Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!”
The African-American at left, above, is Peter Salem. A known sharpshooter,
Salem is the one credited with shooting down the British commander Major John
Pitcairn during the battle. Salem also took part in several other battles of the
Revolution.
The British Infantry began the march four abreast, being led the
by Light Infantry. The sun was hot, and the soldiers were
sweating heavily in their red wool uniforms, straining under the
weight of blankets, ammunition, musket and three days worth of
rations.
From the American positions above them, fire spit forth from
hundreds of muskets, cutting the British soldiers down in their
ranks as they plodded on.
The gallantry of the British infantry, in their beautiful scarlet
uniforms, and memories of fighting alongside them in the
French and Indian War, stirred profound feelings among most of
the Americans.
Again and again, the British infantrymen were mowed down
and mangled by the Rebels looking down upon them on Bunker
and Breed’s Hill. As one soldier was shot, another stepped over
his body and took his place in the line of battle.
“WHAT! These peasants are to keep five thousand of His Majesty’s
troops shut up?”
-General John Burgoyne-
A Last Attempt At Peace
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Even after the terrible battle at
Bunker Hill, there was still one
more attempt at peace between
England and the American
colonies.
In July of 1775, the Olive Branch
Petition was written and sent to
King George. The King
immediately rejected the last
attempt at peace.
His response was to hire
thousands of German
mercenaries to help put down the
rebellion.
Hessians-German mercenaries
that fought alongside the British
army.
Common Sense
• In early 1776, Thomas Paine’s
pamphlet, “Common Sense”
was published.
• His writing made it clear to
the colonies that a complete
and total break with England
was necessary and the time
was right for the Americans
to create their own country
and government.
• He also argued that, “all
monarchies are corrupt.”
• Common Sense was a
bestseller and an instant
success.
The War in North Carolina
Moore’s Creek Bridge, February 27th, 1776
The first battle of the Revolution in
North Carolina.
NC Loyalists were trying to join up
with regular British soldiers.
The Patriots hid alongside of
Moore’s Creek and ambushed the
Loyalists when they marched across
the bridge.
In the three-minute battle, over 50
Loyalists were killed and nearly
their entire force was captured by
the Americans.
This battle helped ensure that the
British would not gain complete
control over the Southern colonies.
The Halifax Resolves
• Adopted on April 12th, 1776.
• A group of North Carolina Patriots adopted the
Halifax Resolves, which advocated for the very first call
for independence from Great Britain.
• “To concur with the delegates of other Colonies in
declaring Independency, and forming foreign alliances,
reserving to this colony the sole and exclusive fight to
forming a Constitution and laws for the Colony.”
• Not only did the resolves call for NC to do so, but it also
asked that all the 13 colonies do so as well.
• Not long after this, the Declaration of Independence
was drafted.
• North Carolina also appointed its first governor at this
time. The man was Richard Caswell and he had been
an important Patriot leader at the Battle of Moore’s
Creek Bridge.
The Declaration of Independence
-A Time of Decision• On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted
and ratified by the Congress.
• The basic principle of the document was that people across the
world have certain, unalienable rights that a government cannot
take away.
• These rights are, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
• The Congress reasoned that if a government disregards these
rights, then it loses its rights to govern. The people then have the
right to abolish that government by force, if necessary.
• The Declaration also specifically outlined the reasons why the
colonies were breaking away from England and what King George
III had done to them. There were 27 grievances listed in all
against King George and Great Britain.
• Now, the only thing that the colonies had to do was win the war.
Men From North Carolina That Signed the
Declaration of Independence
• Joseph Hewes - Born into a Quaker family with strong religious
convictions. Becoming a well-known merchant in Edenton, Hewes
was elected into the NC Colonial Assembly in 1766.
• John Penn – After practicing law in Virginia for 12 years, Penn
moved to Granville County, NC in 1775 when he was chosen to
become a delegate at the Continental Congress.
• William Hooper – Moving to NC from Massachusetts in 1764,
Hooper was a well-known lawyer that also served as a delegate at
the Continental Congress.
The Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Besides Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, there were 54 other signers of
this document. Out of these 56, 29 of the men held Seminary degrees!
Roger Sherman
Roger Sherman, one of the 56 signers, was
the only American to sign all four of the
great state papers that created the United
States: the Continental Association, the
Declaration of Independence, the Articles
of Confederation, and the Constitution of
the United States.
Thomas Jefferson once said of Sherman,
“That is, Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut, is
a man that never said a foolish thing in his
entire life.” Sherman was also one of the
five who drafted the Declaration.
Benjamin Rush
Rush, another signer of the Declaration,
was a physician, writer, educator,
humanitarian, and a devout Christian.
He was also an early opponent of the
institution of slavery and capital
punishment.
In addition to being an active member
of the Sons of Liberty, Rush also
assisted Thomas Paine in writing his
famous work, “Common Sense.”
The Declaration being read aloud to the Continental Army.
The North Carolina Constitution of 1776
Once the Declaration of Independence was
adopted, British laws and royal governors
were no longer recognized within the
colonies.
In North Carolina, a committee appointed
by the newly-created provincial congress
wrote the state’s first constitution.
This new constitution drew upon the
English Bill of Rights and upon the
constitutions of several other states.
Unlike the old, royal government, the
majority of the powers were given to the
men of the assembly and not the royal
governor.
It also required that all persons running
for office be of the Protestant faith.
North Carolina’s First Independent Governor
When the Patriot leaders in North Carolina, along
with the other 12 colonies, declared independence
from Great Britain, they immediately began
organizing a new state government, free from
British rule and influence.
In 1777, Richard Caswell, a well-known soldier
and American statesman, became the first
governor of the state of North Carolina.
He would then guide the state throughout the
trying years of the Revolutionary War.
1.
2.
Describe the main idea or premise of the Declaration of Independence. Who were
three men to have signed the document.
He was the reigning British monarch at the time of the Revolution.
3. This individual became the first non-royal governor of North Carolina.
4. Who wrote “Common Sense” and why was this pamphlet such a success for the American
cause?
5. This document, drawn up by North Carolinians, made the first call for independence
from Great Britain. It was also ratified on this date.
6. Name the three delegates from North Carolina that were present for the Second
Continental Congress and who signed the Declaration of Independence.
7. A ____________ is the name given to a German mercenary hired by the British
government.
8. February 27, 1776. This battle ensured that the British would not control the Southern
colonies at the beginning of the war.
9. Tell the main reason why the Americans decided to attack Fort Ticonderoga. (What was
there to use?)
10. Explain what two decisions were made by the Second Continental Congress on May 10,
1775.