Declaration of Independence

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Declaration of Independence
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Loyalists, Patriots, Neutrals

• three groups of colonists
• Loyalists (pro-Britain)
• Patriots (pro-Revolution)
• Neutrals (noncommittal)

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Loyalists

• Those loyal to the British Crown
• Conservatives
• About 1/5 of pop.
• Tories
• Former British officers/soldiers
• Anglicans
• Royal Gov. Officials
• Newer immigrants
• Many slaves

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Patriots

• Those who support some form of Revolution
• Liberals
• Vary in their goals limited reform, extensive
  change, full revolution
• 2/5 of pop.
• Farmers
• Plantation Owners
• American Merchants
• Elected office holders

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Neutrals

• Those who were not seriously committed to either
  side
• 2/5 of pop.
• Quakers, Pacifists, fair-weather fans, those
  who didnt care about politics
• To Patriots, apathy or neutrality was a crime
• If youre not for us, youre against us

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Second Continental Congress

• Delegates had been convened in Philadelphia since
  May 1775
• Even though the Colonies were at war with Great
  Britain, Congress still hoped for reconciliation
  with the mother country
• Americans up to this point were fighting for
  their rights as natural born Englishmen
• Representation in Parliament, judicial rights,
  etc.
• Many still felt somewhat loyal to Britain
• Had already proposed peace at the end of 1775
• Olive Branch Petition
• Many delegates still felt that America had no
  chance of winning a prolonged war with Britain
• There was not a pro-Independence majority in
  Congress
• John Dickinson (PA) was the leader of the
  non-independence faction of Congress

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Rumblings of Independence

• Events in late 1775 and early 1776 began to
  change peoples minds about Independence
• Kings rejection of the Olive Branch Petition
• Prohibitory Act
• Blockaded American ports
• Stopped all trade
• Declared all American ships to be enemy vessels
• Britain began recruiting mercenaries to
  strengthen their military force
• Thomas Paines Common Sense

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Common Sense

• Thomas Paine published Common Sense on Jan 1,
  1776
• 47 page pamphlet
• Sold 500,000 copies in the first year
• Enormous influence on American thinking
• Everyone had read it or knew about it
• Donated profits to Continental Army
• Explained the reasons why America ought to
  declare Independence
• Wrote in a style that everyone could understand
• "Every thing that is right or natural pleads for
  separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping
  voice of nature cries, 'tis time to part."
• There is something very absurd in supposing a
  continent to be perpetually governed by an
  island."
• For all men being originally equals, no one by
  birth could have the right to set up his own
  family in perpetual preference to all others for
  ever, and though himself might deserve some
  decent degree of honors, his descendants might be
  far too unworthy to inherit them.

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The Independence Movement

• John Adams spearheaded the effort in Congress to
  declare Independence
• Began to tirelessly campaign for a final
  separation with Britain
• Delegates such as Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,
  John Hancock, Roger Sherman, and others supported
  the cause
• Sent Richard Henry Lee (VA) back to Virginia to
  get his the House of Burgesses to pass a
  resolution for Independence
• Lee Resolution submitted to Congress on June 7th
• Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of
  right ought to be, free and independent States,
  that they are absolved from all allegiance to the
  British Crown, and that all political connection
  between them and the State of Great Britain is,
  and ought to be, totally dissolved.

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Committee of Five

• Congress decided to postpone a vote on
  Independence
• Creates a Committee of Five to draft a document
  that outlines the reasons for Independence
• John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Roger
  Sherman, Robert Livingston
• Jefferson is assigned the task of writing the
  document
• June 11-28

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Thomas Jefferson

• Jefferson is assigned the task of writing the
  document
• He is a Virginian
• First colony
• Not associated with Boston radicals
• Great Writer
• No reputation in Congress, like John Adams
• Quiet, non-confrontational
• June 11-28
• Uses his portable writing desk of his own design
• Draws on Enlightenment principles
• John Locke
• English writer, philosopher
• Natural rights
• Rights that everyone has, regardless of
  nationality
• Social Contract b/w Gov and its citizens
• Governments derive their power from the people
• Governments should work to serve the public
  interest

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The Declaration of Independence (1817) by John
Trumbull
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Vote on Lee Resolution

• After a Declaration was formalized, Congress
  resumed debate on Virginias Resolution on
  Independence on July 1st
• Agreed that the vote should be unanimous
• No colony should be pulled from Britain against
  their will
• Each colony would have one vote
• Delegates from each colony would vote amongst
  themselves
• Some colonies such as Pennsylvania, South
  Carolina, and Delaware were split or still unsure
  
• Called for an additional postponement

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July 2nd, 1776

• Caesar Rodney (DA) rode through the night from
  Delaware to arrive in Philadelphia, breaking
  Delawares tie, and voting for Independence
• Edward Rutledge (SC) realized the need for
  unanimity, and voted for Independence
• John Dickinson (PA) did not want to be the one
  holding America back from Independence and rode
  home before the vote, breaking Pennsylvanias tie
  and allowing them to vote for Independence
• The Lee Resolution passed on July 2nd , 1776 and
  the Colonies declared their Independence
• The second day of July, 1776, will be the most
  memorable epoch in the history of America. I am
  apt to believe that it will be celebrated by
  succeeding generations as the great anniversary
  festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day
  of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God
  Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and
  parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells,
  bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this
  continent to the other, from this time forward
  forever more.
• - John Adams

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The Debate on the Declaration

• Over the next two days, Congress debated the
  wording of the Jeffersons draft of the
  Declaration
• Deleted over ¼ of the text
• Including a passage condemning the slave trade
• Jefferson took many of the changes personally
• Finally, on July 4th Congress finally approved
  the Declaration
• Sent to printer, John Dunlap, for publication
• Dunlap Broadsides
• Final document not signed until August 2nd
• Had to be printed
• Needed all members present

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The Declaration of Independence

• Introduction (preamble)states the purpose for
  writing the document
• To declare the causes that forced the colonists
  to separate from England.

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The Declaration of Independence

• Political philosophy which justifies this action
  (rationale)
• Natural Rights rights given to everyone by God
• Governments purpose is to preserve Natural
  Rights (life, liberty and pursuit of happiness)
• Popular Sovereignty the people rule,
  governments are created by the people, not
  imposed upon them

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The Declaration of Independence

• List of complaints against the King and
  Parliament
• Unfair taxes
• Interference with colonial trade and economy
• Standing armies in the time of peace
• Suspension of colonial legislatures

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The Declaration of Independence

• Efforts of the colonists to reconcile their
  differences with England
• 28 complaints against England
• Olive Branch Petition
• King Georges rejection of these requests is
  evidence of his tyranny

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The Declaration of Independence

• Declaration as an Independent and United Nation
• Declare Independence direct quote of Lee
  Resolution
• Pledge among the delegates for support of this
  Declaration with our Lives, our Fortunes and our
  sacred Honor.