Causes of World War II
Tension Leads to Independence (ELP)
Essential Question:
What caused the relationship between Britain and the Colonies to deteriorate?
· Early British actions
o Proclamation of 1763
o Quartering Act (1765)
o Stamp Act (1765)
o Townshend Acts (1767)
· Colonists’ reactions to acts of Parliament
o Boycott
§ A refusal to buy or participate
§ American colonists organized boycotts on British goods
· Forced Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act
o Petition
§ A formal request made to the government
§ Colonists petitioned the government to try to get acts of Parliament repealed
o Sons of Liberty
§ Secret societies formed to protect the rights of colonists
§ Samuel Adams
· One of the leaders
o Boston Massacre (1770)
§ Clash between British soldiers and colonists
§ 5 colonists were killed
· Crispus Attucks
o Former slave
o Considered the 1st martyr of the Revolution
§ Paul Revere’s exaggerated engraving
· Fueled pro-revolutionary feelings
· Example of propaganda
o Definition: the organized spreading of ideas to influence public opinion
§ Soldiers were put on trial for murder
· John Adams served as their attorney
· All found not guilty except two who were given light sentences
· Clash over tea
o Tea Act (1773)
o Boston Tea Party (1773)
o Intolerable Acts (1774)
§ United the colonies against the British
o First Continental Congress (1774)
§ Meeting of delegates (representatives) from all the colonies (except Georgia) in Philadelphia
§ Agreed to:
· Petition the King
· Boycott all British goods unless the Intolerable Acts were repealed
· Begin training soldiers
o Minutemen
§ Term for the colonial militia
· Non-professional army made up of ordinary citizens
§ Name referred to the idea that they were ready to fight at a minute’s notice
· Lexington and Concord (April 1775)
o British troops from Boston marched toward Concord
§ Goals
· Seize colonial military supplies
· Capture leaders
o John Hancock
o Samuel Adams
§ Minutemen were warned by riders like Paul Revere
o Lexington
§ Small battle on Lexington Green
· 1st battle of the Revolutionary War
· “Shot heard ‘round the world”
§ Small force of Minutemen
§ Easily won by the British
o Concord
§ Important victory for Minutemen at Concord Bridge
o British soldiers struggled to return the 20 miles to Boston
§ Harassed by Minutemen along the road
· Second Continental Congress
o Meeting of delegates from all 13 colonies in Philadelphia that began in May 1775
o Important delegates:
§ John Hancock of Massachusetts
· Wealthy merchant
· President of the Second Continental Congress
· First and largest signature on the Declaration of Independence
§ John Adams of Massachusetts
· Made influential speeches
o Helped convince delegates to declare independence
o “Voice of the Revolution”
· Wife = Abigail
o Their letters provide detailed descriptions of events of the Revolution
§ Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania
· Renaissance Man
o Person who excels in many areas
· Diplomat
o Tried to negotiate a peaceful solution between Britain and the colonies
· Became a strong supporter of the Patriot cause
§ Patrick Henry of Virginia
· Early supporter of independence
· Famous quotations:
o “I am not a Virginian, but an American.”
o “Give me liberty or give me death!”
§ Thomas Jefferson of Virginia
· 2nd youngest delegate
· Renaissance Man
· “Pen of the Revolution”
§ George Washington of Virginia
· Wealthy plantation owner
· Military experience from the French and Indian War
· Independence
o Common Sense (Jan 1776)
§ Influential pamphlet
§ Written by Thomas Paine
§ Encouraged the colonies to declare independence
§ Written in simple language
o Committee of Five
§ Appointed on June 11, 1776
§ Job was to draft a formal declaration of independence
§ Members:
· Benjamin Franklin
· John Adams
· Robert Livingston
· Roger Sherman
· Thomas Jefferson
o Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence on July 2, 1776
o Declaration of Independence
§ Written by Thomas Jefferson
§ Influenced by the ideas of John Locke
§ Approved on July 4, 1776
§ Began signing on August 2, 1776
· Benjamin Franklin quotation:
o “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”