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- 2. The American Revolution 1775-1783 • The revolutionary war is also known as the American Revolution • The war was fought between the British and the Colonists • The result of the American Revolution was a new nation called the United States of America
- 4. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: WHICH BRITISH POLICIES IN THE COLONIES LED TO DISAGREEMENTS?
- 5. Navigation Acts 1756 King George III used an old law to make the colonists pay taxes on goods shipped in English ships. The colonists responded by smuggling goods!
- 6. French and Indian War (1754-1763) The British won the French and Indian War but had a large debt because of it. They decide to tax the colonies for defending them in the war.
- 7. Writs of Assistance The king angered the colonists again by enacting the Writs of Assistance, which was another old law. This allowed the use of general search warrants, which let them search anyone, anytime, anywhere. The colonists were very angry and protested.
- 8. Proclamation of 1763 The Proclamation of 1763 was an act in which the king said NO! to settling west of Appalachian Mountains. The colonists disobeyed his orders.
- 9. By 1763, the colonists had enjoyed a great amount of freedom. They resented the new orders issued by the king and of being taxed without their consent.
- 10. Sugar Act of 1764 The Sugar Act actually $$ lowered taxes from the Molasses Act, but was more strictly enforced than the Molasses Act.
- 11. The Stamp Act of 1765 placed taxes on any articles written on paper. This included newspapers, wills, licenses, deeds, and pamphlets.
- 12. 1763 1764 1765 1767 1770 1773 1774 Steps to Revolution British Actions The Proclamation of 1763 The Sugar Act Each step moved us closer to war Colonial Responses Colonists were angry Smuggling The Stamp Act Congress & Sons of Liberty The Stamp Act
- 13. The Stamp Act of 1765 The colonists responded by creating the Stamp Act Congress and refused to buy stamps or stamped paper. They also burned pictures of the King in effigy!
- 14. The Quartering Act 1765 said that colonists must provide for salaries, housing, and supplies for British soldiers. The colonists did not agree and did not obey!
- 15. Townshend Acts 1767 Another act, the Townshend Acts of 1767, placed taxes on glass, lead, paint and tea and was used to pay salaries of colonial officers – including governors & judges. In response, the colonists boycotted all British goods.
- 16. 1763 1764 1765 1767 1770 1773 1774 Steps to Revolution British Actions The Proclamation of 1763 The Sugar Act Townshend Acts Each step moved us closer to war Colonial Responses Colonists were angry Smuggling The Stamp Act Congress & Sons of Liberty More boycotts & Daughters of Liberty The Stamp Act & The Quartering Act
- 17. The Daughters of Liberty organized themselves to teach each other how to make their own cloth and do other things to keep from buying British goods.
- 18. VIOLENCE! Violence erupts as British troops are sent to Boston 1768. This leads to the Boston Massacre.
- 19. The Boston Massacre • occurred on March 5, 1770 • It happened as tensions between colonists and redcoats peaked • Townspeople pushed to the customs house and the British guard called for help as colonists were crowding
- 20. • The crowd of colonists began to throw stones, wood, etc. at the soldiers, and several soldiers were knocked down. • They fired shots at the crowd, and several colonists were killed. • The riot was used as propaganda by the colonists.
- 21. The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street
- 22. Fallout from the Boston Massacre • Crispus Attucks was the first colonist killed. He was of African-American descent. • The British soldiers were put on trial in Boston. They were defended by John Adams. • Adams argued that the shootings occurred as a result of self-defense, and they were found to be innocent.
- 23. 1763 1764 1765 1767 1770 1773 1774 Steps to Revolution British Actions The Proclamation of 1763 The Sugar Act Townshend Acts Boston Massacre Each step moved us closer to war Colonial Responses Colonists were angry Smuggling The Stamp Act Congress & Sons of Liberty More boycotts & Daughters of Liberty The Stamp Act & The Quartering Act
- 24. STUDENTS DO AN INVESTITAGTION You will each need a • History Alive book and turn to pages 93-95 • The American Republic Book Pages 136-137 • Social Studies Book pgs 93-94
- 26. • On July 9, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time in New York in front of George Washington and his troops. In reaction to what had been read, soldiers and citizens went to Bowling Green, a park in Manhattan, where a lead statue of King George III on horseback stood. The mob of people pulled down the statue, and later the lead was melted down to make musket balls, or bullets for use in the war for independence.
- 27. How are the people on the right reacting?
- 28. • About one fifth of the colonists were Loyalists who felt that British laws must be obeyed. • About two fifths of the colonists were Moderates who, in general, wanted Britain and the American colonies to resolve their differences peacefully. Moderates are not clearly depicted in the painting but could have been present at the scene.
- 29. • What percent left does that leave that are patriots? • Can you spot the patriots in the picture?
- 30. GROUP ACTIVITY • Each group will be assigned one of the four perspectives, patriots, loyalists, moderates or royals. • In your group, each person choose one of the characters from your packet and choose an excerpt explaining their stance on the revolt.
- 31. Committee of Correspondence • Founded in 1772 by Samuel Adams, James Warren, and Mercy Otis Warren • Wrote pamphlets and letters that were sent throughout the colonies to stir hatred of the British • Mercy Otis Warren also drafted the first American history of the Revolutionary War
- 32. The Tea Act of 1773 was passed by Parliament so that the British East India Tea Company could sell tea cheaper than the price of smuggled tea. This ignited the Boston Tea Party.
- 33. BOSTON TEA PARTY • On December 16, 1773, Sam Adams led a group of Patriots disguised as Indians on a raid of British ships docked in Boston’s harbor. • They dumped the cargos of tea overboard.
- 34. The Intolerable Acts of 1774 •punished Boston for the Tea Party. It closed the harbor until it was cleaned up, self- government was denied in Massachusetts, and the Quartering Act was enforced. •The colonists were appalled! •They set up the 1st Continental Congress to decide their plan of action.
- 35. The First Continental Congress September 5 – October 26, 1774 • in Philadelphia • 55 men met and represented the colonies • It was a political body to represent American interests
- 36. The first Continental Congress • http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=f6iIT HT8LJE
- 37. Representatives at the 1st Continental Congress • Massachusetts – Sam Adams & John Adams • New York – John Jay • Virginia – Patrick Henry & George Washington
- 38. “The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more…I am not a Virginian, but an American” – Patrick Henry
- 39. Decisions of the Congress • The Congress wrote a Statement of Grievances which repealed the 13 acts of Parliament because they violated colonists’ rights • They boycotted ALL British goods and trade and vowed to arm themselves against British if necessary
- 40. Britain’s Soldiers Britain’s soldiers were trained and wore uniforms with bright red jackets. This earned them the nickname of “redcoats”.
- 41. The Colonial Militia •Was a citizens army that consisted of ordinary citizens, farmers, craftspeople, and businessmen •They were prepared to drop everything at a moment’s notice, and were thus nicknamed the Minutemen
- 42. Colonists Viewpoints •Patriots: •Wanted to fight for independence from the king •Loyalists: •Loyal to the king and the mother country
- 43. The Sons of Liberty • Were a Patriot group that was led by Sam Adams and John Hancock • They were involved in the Boston Tea Party • They constructed “liberty poles”, where they displayed pictures of the British tax collectors • They even had one tax collector tarred and feathered
- 45. The Battles of Lexington and Concord occurred in 1775 British troops planned to destroy military supplies in Concord and to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock
- 46. Battle of Lexington and Concord • http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=hiIF RCk1hxY
- 47. Messengers • Three men served as messengers to warn the colonists of the upcoming attacks. • They were Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Sam Prescott • They rode through the town and announced, “The British are coming!”
- 48. In the Battle of Lexington • the British soldiers marched all night from Boston • They were met by minutemen at the Old North Bridge
- 49. Battle of Lexington • The Americans were told, “Do not fire unless fired upon…but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here!” • WHO fired the 1st shot of the American Revolution????? No one knows for sure…but it is believed that the British fired the first shots. • When the fighting was over, 8 minutemen were dead.
- 50. To Concord… • The British arrived outside of Concord, where they were ambushed by the militia • The Americans had fired the “shot heard around the world” at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. • The British retreated to Boston
- 51. The Stamp Act & The Quartering Act 1763 1764 1765 1767 1770 1773 1774 Steps to Revolution British Actions The Proclamation of 1763 The Sugar Act Townshend Acts Boston Massacre Tea Act Intolerable Acts Each step moved us closer to war Colonial Responses Colonists were angry Smuggling The Stamp Act Congress & Sons of Liberty More boycotts & Daughters of Liberty Committee of Correspondence Boston Tea Party Continental Congress WAR WAR
- 52. 2nd Continental Congress • Met to decide what to do now • Initiated a last effort with King George III for peace – they extended an Olive Branch Petition, which he rejected
- 53. Patrick Henry • Was a passionate orator from Virginia • Famous for his immortal words of “Give me liberty or give me death!”
- 55. Continental Army • The 2nd Continental Congress established a Continental Army that was commanded by George Washington • This organized the militia into an official army
- 56. At the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 • The militia waited for the redcoats at the top of Breed’s Hill • Because the militia was low on ammunition, they were told, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” • The redcoats charged up the hill 3 times, before the colonists retreated ------but it proved that the militia could fight
- 57. Thomas Paine • Was a revolutionary writer & philosopher who wrote “Common Sense” • It said all Americans should support independence • He said it was crazy for an island to rule a continent! • Thomas Paine gave all profits from his booksto the war!
- 58. Benjamin Franklin was a Pennsylvanian who was sent to France to convince them to help the Americans in the revolution with soldiers, supplies, and ships
- 59. Abigail Adams – “Remember the Ladies” • Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, felt that the Founding Fathers should “remember the ladies” and extend rights to the women in America
- 60. Group Activity Each student is assigned as follows. • Student 1: Samuel Adams-Blue Paper • Student 2: Abigail Adams-Orange Paper • Student 3: Thomas Paine-Lime Paper • Student 4: Patrick Henry –Purple Paper You will read the article on your person from history and write 5-7 complete sentences explaining their relevance in the Revolutionary War.
- 61. The Declaration of Independence • was drafted by Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson • The main author was Jefferson, and he actually wrote the 1st copy.
- 62. Declaring Independence 1776 • Declaring independence in 1776 was not easy for the colonists. They discussed it for 1 month • On July 2, 1776, 12 states decided to declare independence from Britain • Only New York did not vote
- 63. • The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 • 13 states unanimously approved, and the United States of America was born! • This was treason in the eyes of the king!
- 65. D of I – Section I • The introduction to the Declaration of Independence explains why colonists want to separate from Britain • It is called the Preamble
- 66. D of I – Section II • The 2nd section of the D of I “We hold these truths… happiness” says that –governments are formed to protect the rights of the people & –that if the government ignores the rights of the people, then a new government can be created
- 67. • Established the concept that “all men are created equal” and are given “certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” D of I – Section II
- 68. D of I – Section III • The 3rd section of the Declaration of Independence lists the grievances the colonists have with King George • They are upset with his actions and they call him a tyrant!
- 69. There were 27 grievances listed against King George III: • Changed how colonies governed when he closed colonial legislatures after the Boston Tea Party
- 70. • Had to quarter troops in homes
- 71. • No laws to help colonies (Proclamation of 1763)
- 72. • Taxation without representation (Sugar Tax, Stamp Tax, Townshend Taxes, etc.)
- 73. • Wouldn’t allow them to trade with other countries (only the Mother Country)
- 74. • No jury trials (and he arrested people in Boston after the Tea Party if broke curfew)
- 75. • No protection from enemies (did nothing to stop Indian raids in the Ohio River Valley)
- 76. • Declared war on his own people (at Lexington and Concord)
- 77. D of I – Section IV • Section 4 of the Declaration of Independence pointed out that King George III ignored the colonists when they reached out to him with the Olive Branch Petition
- 78. D of I – Section V • Section 5 of the Declaration of Independence was the actual section in which the colonies declare INDEPENDENCE
- 80. The militia had many strengths: (AKA – the Continental Army) • They were fighting on their home territory • They wanted INDEPENDENCE • They were excited about the war. • They had a large territory to hide in.
- 81. There were many weaknesses of the militia • They were untrained soldiers • They had no money and no Navy • They were low on supplies • John Adams said, “We will have a long and bloody war to go through!”
- 82. The USA was divided – there were • Loyalists – did not want independence (lots in the South) • Patriots – wanted independence (lots in the middle & north) • Neutralists – found all over
- 83. ON THE FRONT LINES Important participants on the battle fields
- 84. George Washington • Was a Colonel in French and Indian War • He became Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army • Despite his leadership, the Continental Army lost most early battles.
- 85. Women • Women played important roles in the Revolutionary War. They were –nurses –cooks –spies • One of the most famous was Molly Pitcher, whose real name was Mary Hayes McCauley
- 86. Nathan Hale • Was the hero at the Battle of Long Island • He was a teacher from Connecticut who volunteered to spy on the redcoats • He disguised himself as a Dutch schoolteacher and was hanged when he was captured by the British • He was quoted as saying, “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”
- 89. The war continues… • Britain sends more troops to fight in the war • The Hessians begin to assist the British • They were German mercenaries who were trained to fight in the American Revolution
- 90. Students Complete Assignment • Revolutionary War Battles
- 91. The Battle of Trenton • Occurred on December 26, 1776 • Washington and his troops snuck across the Delaware River during the night of December 25th and attacked in the morning. • They staged a surprise attack on Hessian and British soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey
- 92. Washington crosses the Delaware
- 93. The Battle of Saratoga in 1777 • Occurred in New York • The Patriots destroyed bridges, cut trees for blocks, hid in trees etc… • The Americans defeated the larger British force and won the battle • IT WAS THE TURNING POINT OF THE WAR! WHY? BECAUSE FRANCE AGREES TO HELP THE AMERICANS!
- 94. Wentworth Cheswell • Wentworth Cheswell was a church leader and judge who fought at the Battle of Saratoga. • He is known as the first African-American elected to public office in America.
- 95. Valley Forge – Winter of 1777-78 • The Patriot troops traveled to Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78 • It was a miserable winter, very cold and snowy • The troops had little food, clothing, and supplies • By spring, ¼ were dead • During this time, Washington read Thomas Paine’s books “Common Sense” and “The Crisis”
- 96. The Marquis de Lafayette • Was a French nobleman who was enthusiastic about helping the Americans defeat the British • He stayed at Valley Forge and trained American troops • He was a friend and advisor to George Washington, and he used his OWN money to pay troops!
- 97. War in the South • Bernardo de Galvez commanded Spanish troops in Louisiana to help protect New Orleans from British attack • Haym Solomon was a Polish Jew who gave loans to the American government and to revolutionary leaders to pay for the war.
- 98. • James Armistead was a freed African-American slave who acted as a spy on the British. • He worked closely with the Marquis de Lafayette.
- 99. John Paul Jones • Is known as the “Father of the American Navy” • He raided British ports, and a battle began • His ship was badly damaged, and the British commander asked him if he was ready to surrender • He famously replied, “I have not yet begun to fight!”
- 100. The Battle at Yorktown in 1781 • Was a big one for the Americans • They traveled over 200 miles in 15 days • They met General Cornwallis & the British troops in Virginia • 3 sets of troops were used to close in on the redcoats at Yorktown • The British were confused, low on supplies and many were sick
- 101. Surrender at Yorktown!! • The Americans trapped Cornwallis on the peninsula • He and his troops were surrounded on 3 sides by the Continental army • The French fleet arrives 6 hours before the British fleet and blocked his escape. • Cornwallis surrenders, and the war is OVER!
- 102. General Cornwallis surrenders to General Washington
- 103. Abandonment • King George III abandons the idea of controlling the colonies GO HOME!
- 104. The Treaty of Paris 1783 • Ended the American Revolution • “The American colonies hereby recognize…all lands east of Mississippi...” – King George III Treaty of Paris 1783
- 105. UNDER #75, WRITE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION •John Adams was one of the American negotiators of the Treaty of Paris 1783
- 106. Treaty of Paris 1783
- 107. What did the U.S. gain? 1. INDEPENDENCE 2. Land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Canada to Florida (Ohio River Valley) 3. All redcoats were forced to leave the U.S.
- 108. What did the British gain? • Merchants could collect debts owed by Americans • Patriots have to give back the items taken from the Loyalists
- 109. Patriots won…now what? • The Americans are free from the tyranny of King George III…so who gets to rule America? (But for you…you get to take a test! )
Notes de l'éditeur
- Bonus Question: Why in the world would these colonies, located an ocean away from their Mother Country, think for a second that they could win independence from the most powerful nation in the world? They were willing to die for their cause, for their freedom, for their happiness. Bonus question: Do people today still have the same values…are they willing to put their lives on the line for a cause?
- The United States did not exist before the end of the American Revolution, which was in 1783. Before that time, we were colonies!
- The colonists did not just wake up one day and decide to have a revolution. They were provoked! Bonus question: What does “provoked” mean?
- Navigation refers to the wide open seas and shipping, thus this is why they were called the Navigation Acts. Bonus question: What does the word “smuggle” mean? Bonus question: What items do people “smuggle” in today’s world?
- Wars cost money, and fighting a war from an ocean away is not cheap. Bonus question: What is the name of the treaty that ended the French and Indian War?
- Bonus question: Do we have protections against laws like the Writs of Assistance? Bonus question: How would you feel if someone barged into your house and began combing through your things looking for evidence to incriminate you? Bonus question: There was no “innocent until proven guilty”…they could search you and your home/shop just because they were curious to see what you had! Bonus question: The bad thing was, a lot of the colonists did have something to hide…they were smuggling goods into the colonies, and the king knew it!
- Bonus question: Why did the colonists want to cross the Appalachian Mountains?
- No taxation without representation! (Have students repeat this) It made them angry! Do your parents enjoy paying taxes? They elect officials to represent them and hopefully lower taxes, right?
- Sugar was used to sweeten foods, and most importantly, to sweeten tea. Even though the colonists were living in North America now and were not in England, they were still English at heart – and took their tea time very seriously.
- Paper was used frequently for every day life. There were no electronics, so everything had to be printed on paper. Legal papers, stamps, newspapers, books, licenses, ownership papers, posters, etc. required paper…and the tax on paper was steep.
- If it had a stamp (or official seal) on the paper, the colonists refused to buy it. They would use non-stamped or smuggled paper, which meant they were breaking the law. They burned pictures of King George III in effigy. Bonus question: What does “effigy” mean? Bonus question: What was the symbolism behind burning pictures of the king?
- The cost of housing troops during the French and Indian War was very costly for Britain. They had to provide housing, clothing, supplies, and money for each soldier. This was nearly impossible to do from an ocean away. Bonus question: What is the perspective of the colonists on this point of view? (Answer: We are British citizens, living in the colonies, helping to make England the most powerful country in the world. Why wouldn’t King George III pay to protect his own people?) Bonus question: What is the perspective of the king on this issue? (Answer: The colonists went on their own free will across the ocean to the New World. It costs a lot of money to protect people and ship goods to them from half a world away.)
- Same situation as the previous slide…it costs a lot of money to fund the colonies. Lots of money going out but very little coming in.
- Same situation as the previous slide…it costs a lot of money to fund the colonies. Lots of money going out but very little coming in.
- All of the boycotts made the king very angry, and British troops were ordered to go to Boston to restore order. The colonists were not happy about having British troops occupying their city. It was inevitable that it would lead to conflict.
- The colonists were angry and were taunting the soldiers. It got out of hand, and one soldier fired a shot. Others followed. Five people were killed. One of the men who died was named Crispus Attucks. He was an African-American man. The shooting was used as propaganda by the colonists. Bonus question: What is propaganda?
- "The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street" by Paul Revere Intent was to highlight British tyranny and stir up anti-British sentiment among his fellow colonists. Revere's historic engraving is big on political propaganda and short on accuracy Notice the color of red used for the British soldiers and the color of the blood…same shade of red. Bonus question: Why is this important? OPTIC O – overview (brief) P – parts (parts of the picture; read all labels; note important elements or details) T – title (what is the title) I – interrelationships (use title and parts to specify the interrelationships in graphic) C – conclusion (what does the visual mean/why is it important/what is its purpose)
- Tea came primarily from India during the 1700s. The East India Tea Company was the largest tea company in the world at that time, and was a British Company. They would sail back and forth between India and Britain. Tea was then delivered to the colonies from Britain. Lots of tea was sold in the colonies…again, they were British by origin, and very much enjoyed their afternoon tea time.
- The colonists were furious that there was now a tax on their tea. Boston was a major port at this time. The group of Patriots that raided the British ships were called the Sons of Liberty. They were a radical group during their time. (Explain what is meant by the term “radical”…kids think it means “cool.”) Thousands of crates were dumped into Boston Harbor, turning the harbor into one large, salty cup of tea. The water in the harbor turned a nasty shade of brown as well.
- The king was furious and punished Bostonians for the raid on British ships. He ordered the harbor to be closed until the mess of crates and tea leaves was cleaned up. He did not allow any form of self-government in Massachusetts – no representative government, no town councils. Massachusetts was under the control of a royal governor who made all decisions for the townspeople. The Quartering Act was enforced. Bonus question: Who can remind us what the Quartering Act meant? The colonists couldn’t believe what was happening and never expected such harsh consequences. They expected the king to back down, or at the most give them a slap on the wrist…but never to deny them basic rights of liberty. The 1st Continental Congress was arranged to figure out what to do next.
- The 1st Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Bonus question: What was the nickname given to the city of Philadelphia by the Quakers? (Answer: City of Brotherly Love) All of the colonies were represented by Georgia. Where was Georgia? Georgians were doing their own thing…remember, it was established as a colony for debtors and prisoners, and was still a royal colony owned by the king. They didn’t have much of a voice. The idea behind the Congress was to have all of the colonies unite as one voice…one united voice can be louder than multiple individual voices.
- Sam Adams (Leader of the Sons of Liberty) and John Adams were cousins Interesting note about John Adams – he represented the British soldiers who shot into the crowd of people during the Boston Massacre. He felt that they were provoked by the colonists throwing stones at the soldiers, and he defended them in their trial. Seven soldiers were tried, but only two received any punishment…they were branded on their thumbs and sent back to England. John Jay – a major contributor to the founding of our nation Patrick Henry and George Washington – arguably the two most important people at the Convention
- Bonus question: What does he mean by this quotation? (Answer: We all live in different colonies, but it doesn’t matter now…we must be united as one, as Americans.)
- Bonus question: What is a grievance? (Answer: It is a complaint) They refused to obey the different acts (Sugar, Tea, Townshend, Quartering, etc.) that had been passed by Parliament because they had violated their rights to govern themselves or to have a voice in Parliament They refused to use any goods brought to the colonies on British ships and said they would fight with guns if the king didn’t leave them alone. That was a scary thought…taking on the most organized and powerful army in the world. Why was it scary?
- They were literally ordinary people with little or no military training If the call came, they would drop everything and grab their gun…ready to fight.
- Did everyone in the colonies support taking up arms against the British? Of course not! Some people didn’t care one way or the other…they wanted to just be left alone. These people were neutralists, because they didn’t care which side one…as long as it didn’t interfere with their lives.
- They were the extremists…they were destructive They were the ones who raided the British ships and held the Boston Tea Party They also constructed “liberty poles” or “liberty trees”…they put pictures of British tax collectors (who were innocent men just doing their jobs) and encouraged people to attack them! To prove their point, they tarred and feathered one tax collector in public. What happens when someone is tarred and feathered? They pour tar all over their body (Remember…tar is a solid. How do you get it into liquid form? It has to be very hot…so the tax collector was scalded.) They dump bird feathers all over them. So basically…the person is scalded, the tar hardens and you can’t move, and the feathers cause you to suffocate. It is a brutal, disturbing, slow death.
- Famous image of the Sons of Liberty and the Liberty Tree…what are some of the images seen in the picture? Noose hanging from the tree Forcing tea down his throat Boat in the back with tea being tossed Etc…..
- The British had enough of the rebellions and more than enough of the Sons of Liberty. They decided to march to Concord and capture the stockpile of guns and ammunition the Sons of Liberty had there, and to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock. They were seen as traitors in the eyes of the king!
- One of the most famous events in American History…the midnight ride of Paul Revere. Except he wasn’t the only one who rode…there were three men total. Without the warnings of these three men, the people of Lexington and Concord never would have known the British were approaching. The minutemen grabbed their arms and began assembling to intercept the British soldiers.
- They were totally surprised by the minutemen…the British had no idea they were coming.
- What does this mean? Basically…don’t be the ones to start the war. If the British want to fight, let them start it. It will show that we have reason…that they are bullying us. However, if they fire first…let them have it! No one knows where the first shot came from. Eye witness accounts claim it was the British…but those eyewitnesses were Americans. Propaganda? Likely. No British were killed or even injured…but the Americans were left harmed. But they let the British know then and there that they were done playing nice…the war was on!
- Bonus question: What does “ambushed” mean? (Answer: attacked without knowledge the attack is coming…surprised) YOU MUST KNOW WHAT THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD IS!!! It is tested every year, and you will see it on your test very soon. The question is almost always asked, “What is the shot heard ‘round the world?” Bonus question: What does the “shot heard ‘round the world” mean? (Answer: When these small colonies decide to take on the most powerful nation in the world, the other countries took notice…if they could win this war, what would it mean for other nations. Could they lose their colonies too? Could oppressed people rise up and overthrow their rulers? It was a huge moment, and the risk was unbelievable.) The Americans may not have exactly won Lexington and Concord, but the British did retreat…they weren’t going to Concord for a fight, they were just going to raid the Patriots’ arsenal and arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock. They couldn’t believe they got involved in two battles!
- The colonists were scared…have they awoken the sleeping giant? Met again at 2nd Continental Congress to figure out what to do…they knew they had really done it now. Decided to ask for forgiveness and peace by extending the Olive Branch Petition. Basically, it said, “Look, King George III, you were mean to us with your acts and taxes, and we were mean by fighting your soldiers at Lexington and Concord. How about we call it even and move on?” King George III’s response…he tore it up, called them traitors, and promised to punished the rebels!
- He was a passionate speaker, very well known for his loud, fiery speeches in the Virginia House of Burgesses He said one of the most famous quotes in all of history…”Give me liberty or give me death! Bonus question: What does this mean? (Answer: Give me freedom, or let me die. Life is not worth living if it isn’t with freedom.)
- Passage from the “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech
- The Americans needed an actual army (minutemen weren’t really the best plan of action), and they named George Washington as commander. He had become a war hero during the French and Indian War, and he was very respected by all of the colonial leaders.
- The militia hid on top of the hill, which meant they would be firing down on the British. That was a pretty good plan, right? The biggest problem was that they were low on ammunition, so they were told, “Don’t fire until you see the white of their eyes.” In other words…until they are that close to you that you can see their white eyeballs, don’t fire. The British charged up the hill three times before the militia ran out of gunpowder. They ran down the other side of the hill. Yes, the British won, but the militia did not back down easily. They were there for the longhaul.
- By this time, it was pretty clear that peace wasn’t going to happen. Thomas Paine wrote two pamphlets…The Crisis and Common Sense. Common Sense encouraged all Americans to support fighting for independence…it was like, DUH! He said it was ridiculous to think that a small country like England could rule a large continent at all, much less from an ocean away. It only made sense (DUH!) to fight for freedom.
- Bonus question: What is Benjamin Franklin famous for doing/telling the colonies to do during the French and Indian War? (Answer: Join or die! Join together to fight the French or lose is separated.) He now knows that the colonies need help, and he knows that no one hates Great Britain more than the French…so he asks them to help the colonists in the war effort. The French refuse to help, but they are very interested in the success of the Americans…if they win, then England will no longer be the most powerful country in the world.