Declaring Independence
Chapter 5 Lesson 4
Objectives
• Evaluate the reaction of the colonists to the
rejection of the Olive Branch Petition
• Summarize the steps taken that led to the
writing of the Declaration of Independence
• Understand the four parts of the Declaration
of Independence
Vocabulary
• Petition – formal request
• Preamble - introduction
The Second Continental Congress
May 10th 1775
• Returning Members from 1st CC
–
–
–
–
John and Samuel Adams
Patrick Henry
George Washington
Richard Henry Lee
• Newcomers
– Ben Franklin – leader in PA
legislature helped repeal the
Stamp Act
– John Hancock – wealthy
merchant in MA. Helped fund
Patriot groups, voted President
of 2nd CC
– Thomas Jefferson – served in
the VA legislature and was
known as a brilliant thinker and
writer
They voted not to split from Britain
just yet. It would be another year
before Jefferson would write the
Declaration of Independence
Key Actions
• Continental Congress:
• Authorized printing of money
• Set up a post office
• Formed committees to handle Native
Americans and foreign countries
• Created Continental Army
• Appointed George Washington as
commander
• Delegates offered Britain one last
chance to avoid war:
Olive Branch Petition
• Assured King George that the colonists
wanted peace
• Asked him to protect colonists rights
• King rejected it; prepared for war
• Hired 30,000 German troops to fight
with Britain
The War Heats Up
• Congress found out British troops
from Canada were going to attack
New York
• Americans decided to attack first
• Captured Montreal
• Benedict Arnold led an attack on
Quebec and failed
• Washington had to train civilians into
soldiers
• March 1776 Washington moved
soldiers and cannons into position
overlooking Boston while the
redcoats slept
• The attack surprised the British and
they withdrew from Boston and
sailed to Nova Scotia (part of Canada)
Moving Towards Independence
• Many colonists still held
onto hope that the colonies
could remain part of Britain
• Support for independence
was growing
• Thomas Paine wrote a
pamphlet called Common
Sense
• Called for a complete break
from Britain
• Greatly influenced people in
the colonies to support the
Patriots
What do you predict the Americans will do next?
• Turn to page 131 in your textbook.
• Under the title “Primary Source” read the
quote by Richard Henry Lee
What did Richard Henry Lee propose at the Second
Continental Congress?
Writing the Declaration
• Committee of people wrote
it: John Adams, Ben Franklin,
Thomas Jefferson, Robert
Livingston, and Roger
Sherman
• Jefferson wrote the first draft
and drew ideas from English
philosopher John Locke to
explain why the 13 colonies
were proclaiming their
freedom
• Locke expressed the idea
that people are born with
certain natural rights to life,
liberty and property
Writing the Declaration
• Locke wrote that people
form governments to
protect those rights, and
that government
interfering with those
rights could rightfully be
overthrown
• Delegates approved the
document July 4th 1776
• John Hancock signed it
first (the largest)
followed by 56 delegates
announcing the birth of
the United States
The Declaration of Independence has four
parts.
The first part says that people who
separate from other people should tell
why they must do so.
The second part gives important
ideas in American government
• All men are created equal
• All men have rights that cannot be
taken away by another person.
- Life
- Liberty
- Pursuit of happiness
• Government gets its power from the
consent of the governed.
• Government should protect the
safety and happiness of everyone.
• If a government disregards the rights
of the people for a long time and will
not change, the people have a duty
to form a new government.
The third part of the Declaration of
Independence is the longest. It lists
many bad things King George III has
done to the American people.
The fourth part--the actual
declaration--says the colonies have
decided to be independent.
• They are free to make war and peace.
• They can form alliances with other
countries.
• They can trade with other countries.
• They can do everything that an
independent country can do.
Representatives from all thirteen colonies
signed the Declaration of Independence.
Close and Reflect
Which phrases in the Declaration of
Independence do you think are most
important?
Would you be able to be a delegate in the
Second Continental Congress?
Review
• Why do you think the delegates chose John Hancock to
be president of the Second Continental Congress?
• Why did the Americans attack Montreal?
• What was the Olive Branch Petition?
• Explain the significance of Thomas Paine’s Common
Sense.
• According to John Locke, what is the purpose of
government?