A Nation Declares their Independence

1
A Nation Declares their Independence

• Chapter 6-1 Review

2
Changing Public Opinion

• Early in 1776 the country was still very divided
  about what course we should take
• Loyalists vs. Patriots
• Most citizens were undecided and hoped for a
  peaceful resolution to the conflict

3
Thomas Paine

• Scottish immigrant
• Worked several jobs in Britain including a tax
  collector
• Author of Common Sense and The Crisis
• Helped sway public opnion in favor of independence

Video
4
Common Sense

• Published January, 1776
• Published anonymously
• Written by Thomas Paine
• Sold over 500,000 copies in the first year
• Only 50 pages long
• All royalties were donated to the Continental Army

5
Logic for Independence from Common Sense

• It was absurd for an island to rule a continent
• America was not a "British nation" it was
  composed of influences and peoples from all of
  Europe
• Even if Britain were the "mother country" of
  America, that made her actions all the more
  horrendous, for no mother would harm her children
  so brutally
• Britains distance from the colonies made it
  impractical for her to make decisions. Colonists
  may not get an answer for a year after making a
  request

6
Virginia Resolution

• Introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia
• these United Colonies are, and of right ought to
  be, free and independent States
• 2nd Continental Congress picks a committee of 5
  to write a formal declaration while colonies
  decide how to vote

7
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
John Adams
Benjamin Franklin
8
Declaration of Independence

• Preamble- explains the purpose of the document
• Natural Rights- Influenced by the Enlightenment
  Era thinkers, especially John Locke (Natural
  Rights)
• List of Grievances- what the king has done wrong
• Dissolving the Bonds- because of the
  aforementioned we are now free and independent
  states

9
Impact of the Declaration
Video

• Made public July 4, 1776
• Gave the patriots a cause, fighting to create a
  nation
• The 56 signers were now officially traitors!
• We must all hang together or most assuredly we
  shall all hang separately Benjamin Franklin

10
56 signers
TRAITORS!