Independence was not yet the Primary Goal of the Colonies

1
Independence was not yet the Primary Goal of the
Colonies

• From Lexington Concord (April 1775) to
  Declaration of Independence (July 1776), for 14
  months the colonies drafted appeals to the king
  for cessation of war AND fought battles against
  British troops at the same time! Inconsistency!!
• Reluctant Revolutionaries!!!
• A War of Inconsistency?

2
DOI-2
2nd CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

• 13 colonies represented (unity)
• Met in response to Lexington Concord
• Fighting In Mass (Bunker Hill began in April)
• May 10, 1775

• DividedMass. delegates want independence
  moderates from Middle Colonies want to negotiate
  new relationship w/ GB, Va. Delegates (radicals
  Richard Henry Lee T. Jefferson), SC delegation
  (moderate)
• Congress alsoadopted Declaration of Causes
  Necessities for Taking up Armscolonies to
  provide troops, create a navy marine corp.
• George Washington named Commander in Chief
  (Continental Army Formed)
• Why Washington?
• leadership character, served without pay, from
  Va.-to check suspicion aimed at NE , aristocratic
  by nature (check the masses)

Issued the Olive Branch Petition (John
Dickinson v. John Adams)
3
The OLIVE BRANCH PETITION

• July 1775 issued by Second Continental Congress.
• Professed loyalty to the King George III
• Asked King to end hostilities
• BUT, they have grievances (problems) which they
  want the King and Parliament to address.
• The King rejected the Petition!
• Prohibitory Act (Aug. 1775) declared colonies in
  open rebellion.

4
Battle of Fort Ticonderoga Crown Point, May 1775

• Where Fort Ticonderoga (built by the French in
  1755) located near southern part of Lake
  Champlainguarded northern approach to Hudson
  River Valley. In 1775, held by garrison of 48
  men.
• Who- American forces commanded by Ethan Allen
  (Green Mountain Boys) Benedict Arnold
• Goal capture gunpowder artillery for a siege
  of Boston.
• Outcome British garrisons at Ticonderoga Crown
  Point were defeated artillery gunpowder
  captured.

5
Prelude to the Battle of Bunker Hill

• After the battles of Lexington Concord(April
  1775), the colonial militia (15,000) surrounded
  Boston laid siege.
• American colonial militia controlled all land
  routes into Boston (captured Charleston Neck)
• British troops inside Boston (6,000) under
  command of Gen. Thomas Gage able to be resupplied
  or reinforced by sea.
• Henry Knox (Colonial) brought in cannon placed
  it on hillsides to fire upon Boston.

6
(No Transcript)
7
BUNKER HILL

• June 17, 1775
• The British suffered over 40 casualties.
• 2,250 men
• 1,054 injured
• 226 killed
• Americans Morale building victory
• 800 men
• 140 killed
• 271 wounded
• Next, King George sent 10,000 Hessian soldiers
  to help put down the rebellion.

8
BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL OR BREED'S HILL
Battle of Bunker Hill raised the morale of the
American Army though the British won the battle
and suffered severe casualties. The British
never broke out of Boston or gained access to the
countryside which the American army held.
August 1775- King George III declared the
colonies in open rebellion British finally left
Boston to go to NEW YORK in summer 1776. !
9
The Ill-Fated Invasion of Canada

• Oct. 1775- British burned town of Falmouth
  (Portland), Maine.
• Invasion of Canada (by American Colonials)
• Continental Armylaunched a 2 pronged attack on
  Canada. (Why this offensive operation if still
  loyal?)
• Why? Hope that it would add a 14th colony, rob
  Britain of a base to attack American colonies,
  believed French subjects in Canada would join
  (wrong)
• Failed- Captured Montreal-failed to take Quebec

10
Invasion of Canada

• One colonial expedition left Fort Ticonderoga
  (led by Richard Montgomery, captured Fort St.
  Johns, took Montreal (American soldiers were
  going back homeenlistment period over)
• A second colonial expedition (led by Benedict
  Arnold) left Cambridge, Mass. Traveled through
  tough wilderness of Maine to Quebec.
• Both forces met at Quebec BUT were defeated at
  Battle of Quebec Dec. 1775.

11
Reluctant Revolutionaries Turn to Independence

• Jan. 1776- British burned Norfolk, Va.
• Feb. March-Battles of Moore's Creek Bridge, NC
  Battle in Charleston, SC---victories for
  colonists
• Most Americans still declared no desire for
  Independence.
• Why?
• Burning of Falmouth Norfolk
• Hiring of Hessian mercenaries
• Thomas Paines Common Sense pamphlet.

12
COMMON SENSE

• Written by Thomas Paine in Jan. 1776..
• Came to America in 1774 from England (poor
  immigrant) an early voice for complete
  Independence!
• Wrote a 50 page pamphlet called Common Sense
• called the King a tyrant
• Called for separation
• Inspired Americans to Independence
• Made the case for superiority of a republic
  form of government.

13
COMMON SENSE

• Paine not only called for independence, but for a
  new kind of political society a democratic
  republic.
• Power should be derived from popular consent
  (John Locke -English Philosopher) Social
  Contract Theory

• Colonists experience in self-government prepared
  them for creation of republic (Town meetings,
  House of Burgesses, annual elections)
• Also, absence of hereditary aristocracy and
  equality among land-owning farmers contributed to
  idea of republic.
• Believed civic virtue vital to republican form
  if no king, then individuals must sacrifice for
  public good.
• Some wanted natural (talent) aristocracy
  instead to keep power from lower orders.avoid
  mob rule.

14
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

• April 12, 1776NC Provincial Congress adopted
  the Halifax Resolves1st official action in
  colonies calling for independence.
• May 10, 1776-Congress voted a resolution calling
  on all colonies to establish revolutionary
  governments take power from royal officials
  prepare new constitutions.
• June 7,1776- 1st proposed by Richard Henry Lee
  (Va.)
• A Committee was developed to write the
  explanation
• July 2, 1776- motion adopted 2nd Continental
  Congress (Jefferson chosen to write it)
• July 4, 1776- Independence Day
• Explain to the world why separation from England
  was necessary
• Enlightenment theory of government
  (democracy---people rule)- Social Contract John
  Locke
• based on some Enlightenment ideas
• 27 grievances listed against King George
• We shall all hang together or, we shall all
  hang separately- Franklin

15
DOWNFALL OF KING GEORGE
King Georges statue is torn down by Patriots in
New York City after the Declaration of
Independence is signed by the 2nd Continental
Congress
16
Ideas Expressed in Dec. of Independence

• The Social Contract Theory- John Locke (natural
  rights of man).
• All men are created equal- entitled to certain
  rights (Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness)
  Happiness REPLACED property
• Governments are instituted among men, deriving
  their just powers from the consent of the
  governed
• 2. That if any form of government becomes
  destructive of these ends, it is the right of the
  people to alter or abolish constitute a new
  government (Social Contract)

17
SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY
Declaration of Independence The people have the
right to abolish an oppressive government and
establish a new one. All men are endowed with
certain unalienable rights among which are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
John Locke A governments power comes from the
consent of the people. All people are born
free and equal with natural rights to life,
liberty and property
Authority of Government Natural Rights
Purpose of Government Limited Government Equality
To preserve himself, his liberty and
property Government of laws not man Men being by
nature all free, equal and independent
To secure these rights History of the present
King of England is repeated injuries All men are
created equal
18
Social contract
SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY

• John Locke was an English philosopher during the
  late 1680s.
• He wrote several books on how people should be
  governed.
• His ideas influenced Thomas Jefferson.

• The power of government comes from the people.We
  give the government certain powers to force
  people to do things for the common good of the
  community..If the government does not reflect
  the will of the people, then the people can
  change it.

19
Loyalist/Patriot
Patriotsaka Whigs Supported Revolution Loyali
stsaka- Tories Loyal to the King
20
Patriots Loyalists (War Within a War)

• American revolution was a minority movement-
  1/3 supported revolution, 1/3 against revolution,
  1/3 neutral.
• British unable to capture hearts minds of
  undecided Americans.
• Patriots political education of the people
  when British troops were absent.

21
The Loyalists

• About 16 of the population
• Ben Franklin (Patriot) his son William
  (Loyalist)
• Loyalty- was a major virtue in the New World
• Characteristics of Loyalists
• Tended to be wealthy educated
• Older (Patriots were younger)
• Beneficiaries of the crown
• Strongest where Anglican was dominant (except
  Virginia- where they joined rebels)
• Strongest in NY, Charleston, , Penn, NJ.
• Least numerous- NE anywhere Presbyterianism
  Congregational Churches flourished.

22
Loyalists Exodus

• After Declaration of Independence, persecution of
  Loyalists increased
• Patriots used harsh methods imprisonment,
  hanging, tarred feathered, beatings,
  intimidation
• riding the railouch!
• No reign of terror as in France
• Anglo-Saxon- stressed order
• 80,000 loyalists driven out or fled the colonies
• Mild loyalists stayed
• Estates were confiscated- finance the war
• 50,000 fought for the British, served as spies,
  incited Indians,

23
The War in the North

• British evacuated Boston on March 1776 move
  base to NY.
• 500 ships 35,000 soldiers vs. Washington's
  18,000
• Counted on NY Loyalists
• The Battle of Long Island (summer fall 1776)
• Defeat for the Continental Army by British
• Continental Army narrowly escapes capture by
  crossing Hudson River Delaware River
• Gen. Howe (British)- hesitates (winter
  approaches) allows Continentals to escape
• Battles of New Jersey (Dec. 1776-Jan. 77)
• Trenton Princeton

24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
BATTLE OF TRENTON

• Referred to as the ten crucial daysDec. 25th
  to Jan. 3rd
• First major victory for the Continental Army and
  Washington
• Raised the morale of the American troops as well
  as the country

• Led to soldiers re-enlisting and future
  enlistments
• Captured over 1,000 Hessian soldiers, weapons,
  food and etc.
• American Army re-crossed the Delaware to Valley
  Forge in Pennsylvania

27
US Delaware
WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE FOR TRENTON
28
(No Transcript)